SWIMMERS SELECTED TO TEAM GB FOR YOUTH OLYMPICS
An elite squad of 16 young swimmers has been selected by
the British Olympic Association (BOA) to represent Team GB
at this summer's European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
The athletes, aged 13 to 17, achieved selection at the British
Championships in March, and will form part of a 63-strong
Team GB that will compete across swimming, athletics, cycling,
gymnastics, judo, table tennis and tennis.
Swimming has a strong tradition as part of Team GB's EYOF
campaigns of the past with athletes such as 2004 Olympic swimming
bronze medallist David Davies and 2006 Commonwealth Games
swimming gold medallist Liam Tancock previously gracing the
stage.
The EYOF will provide the young athletes with first-class
international competition as well as an ideal opportunity
for future Olympians to gain first-hand knowledge and experience
of a multi-sport event.
Leading the swimming contingent will be Head Coach Jon Rudd
(Plymouth Leander) who is delighted with the make-up of the
squad.
"The swimming team is as strong as we could possibly
hope for," said Rudd. "Everyone is fit, enjoying
a good preparation and looking forward to being part of Team
GB.
"I'm particularly looking forward to seeing how the
swimmers and staff deal with an Olympic village and a multi-sport
event as opposed to competing at a meet where swimming is
the only focus.
"We'll be in a situation with a number of other sports
involving more than two thousand athletes from 48 countries
and that in itself will be a challenge but an enjoyable one.
It will be a great experience for the athletes and will be
ideal preparation for Olympics of the future."
Mark England, Team GB's EYOF Chef de Mission, said: "Several
of the British athletes selected for Belgrade are hopefuls
for 2012 and we know how valuable it is for an athlete competing
in an Olympic Games to have experienced a multi-sport environment
and to have lived in an Olympic Village.
"The European Youth Olympic Festival is a perfect opportunity
for our young athletes to experience this. The squad is a
strong one and I am confident that we will be coming back
with many medals."
A total of 2,196 athletes from 48 countries will take part
in 11 sports between 21st and 28th July in the Serbian capital
of Belgrade.
Swimming takes place at the Tasmajdan Sports Centre
on 23, 24, 26 and 27 July.
Athletes selected by the BOA are:
Aimee Wilmott (Middlesbrough)
Emma Graham (City of Leeds)
Jessica Thielmann (City of Newcastle)
Lucy Ellis (Dunfermline)
Sara Lougher (Bridgend)
Sophie Ward (Gallica)
Stephanie King (Bexley)
Adam John (Plymouth Leander)
Adam Shaw (Bolton Metro)
Daniel Mills (Nova Centurion)
Douglas Scott (East Kilbride)
Karl Botha (Canterbury)
Richard Butler (Kingston upon Hull)
Roberto Pavoni (Brentwood)
Thomas Parris (Hastings Seaguls)
Valentin Kokorin (City of Newcastle)
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