English stars named on Rio 2016 ParalympicsGB swimming team

Paralympic champions Ellie Simmonds and Ollie Hynd are among 26 English athletes named on the Rio 2016 ParalympicsGB swimming team.

Boldmere SC swimmer Simmonds will be competing at her third Paralympic Games in Brazil, having become a household name after winning double gold at both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympics.

The 21-year old will be aiming to win the S6 400m Freestyle title for the third consecutive Paralympics in Rio.

“It is finally sinking in that I will be going to my third Paralympic Games, and I am so excited,” said Simmonds. “The Paralympic Games is the biggest stage in the world to compete on and I can’t wait for the challenge.”

Nova Centurion’s Hynd, who won three golds at this month’s IPC Swimming European Championships in Portugal, will compete at his second Games in Rio.

He is one of the few athletes to ever hold Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles simultaneously, having achieved the accolade in the SM8 200m Individual Medley.

“I am so proud to be selected on to the Rio 2016 ParalympicsGB swimming team – it is such an honour,” said Hynd.

“The competition is getting tougher every time I get in the water but I know how hard I’ve been training so I can only be confident in my preparations. Rio will be an amazing experience.”

There is a strong English contingent to the 31-strong team with Sascha Kindred set to compete at his sixth Paralympics and the experienced Claire Cashmore, Charlotte Henshaw and James Crisp also included.

“We have an exciting and capable team selected for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games,” said British Para-Swimming Performance Director Chris Furber.

“At British Para-Swimming we have worked consistently on increasing the standards of our team, which is reflected in the selection process, and it’s a real positive to see 25 athletes achieving the time outright.

“We had an excellent trials that saw not only our experienced athletes stepping up but also 14 debutants fighting for and deserving their place on the team as well.”

English swimmers named on the Rio 2016 ParalympicsGB Swimming Team

• Jonathan Booth (Borough of Kirklees SC)
• Josef Craig (City of Sunderland ASC)
• James Crisp (City of Sheffield)
• Ryan Crouch (Team Ipswich)
• Jonathan Fox (City of Manchester Aquatics)
• Tom Hamer (City of Manchester Aquatics)
• Ollie Hynd (Nova Centurion)
• Michael Jones (Mount Kelly)
• Sascha Kindred (City of Hereford SC)
• Lewis White (City of Derby SC)
• Matt Wylie (City of Sunderland ASC)
• Jessica-Jane Applegate (UEA City of Norwich SC)
• Claire Cashmore (Wyre Forest SC)
• Bethany Firth (Newcastle Swim Team)
• Charlotte Henshaw (Nova Centurion)
• Tully Kearney (Boldmere SC)
• Harriet Lee (Team Northumbria)
• Amy Marren (Romford Town SC)
• Steph Millward (Corsham A.S.C.)
• Rebecca Redfern (Worcester SC)
• Ellie Robinson (Northampton Swimming Club)
• Susie Rodgers (Beckenham SC)
• Hannah Russell (Woking SC)
• Ellie Simmonds (Boldmere SC)
• Steph Slater (Preston SC)
• Alice Tai (Bournemouth Collegiate School SC)

Photo credit: British Swimming