Age Group and Development Synchro squads 2016 announced

Swimmers have been named on the Age Group and Development Synchro Squads 2016 following performances at the ASA National Age Group Synchronised Swimming Championships in December last year.

Synchro Squads 2016: Age Group

The Age Group Squad 2016 is looking forward to competing at the Hungarian Open Age Group competition this June and will be focusing on the free team and figures.

Reading Royals’ Age Group Duet champions, Alyssa Basinger and Mimi Gray, who also won Solo gold in the 12yrs and under category in December, have been named on the team following their medal winning performances in December.

Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe have also been selected onto the squad after their impressive performances at the Championships. The City of Bristol Duet pair, who were also named on the England Training Squad in November 2015, have been selected to swim as the Age Group Solo and Duet.

“This is the start of their journey as international competitive athletes” – Louise Ross.

Shortman and Thorpe will be looking to compete at the Mediterranean Cup in Israel in July before preparing the European Junior Championships alongside the rest of the Squad.

“With most of the swimmers being new members to the Age Group Squad and with one or two years left in this age group, all the swimmers can gain experience this year and utilise it in the future,” said Rushmoor Synchro Head Coach Louise Ross.

“This is the start of their journey as international competitive athletes and they will be the ones to look for in the future.”

The squad includes:

• Abigail Taylor (Reading Royals)
• Alyssa Basinger (Reading Royals)
• Mimi Gray (Reading Royals)
• Isabel Turrel (Reading Royals)
• Anna Welland (Reading Royals)
• Harriette Smith (Reading Royals)
• Millicent Costello (City of Leeds)
• Kate Shortman (City of Bristol)
• Isabelle Thorpe (City of Bristol)
• Daniella Lloyd (City of Bristol)
• Cerys Hughes (City of Bristol)

Synchro Squads 2016: Development

The ten athletes named on the England Development squad will be training towards this summer’s Beacon Games in Leeds.

In order to prepare them for the following year, the squad will be working on the free team routine that the Age Group athletes will be swimming to. Their focus will be to gain valuable routine experience, understand the expectations around standards and levels of expertise.

The Development Squad looks to nurture and develop young, talented swimmers and help to prepare them for their future synchro careers.

The squad includes:

• Bella Harris Johnstone (Rushmoor Synchro)
• Zayna Gallacher (Rushmoor Synchro)
• Isobel Blinkhorn (Reading Royals)
• Eleanor Blinkhorn (Reading Royals)
• Daisy Rushton (City of Preston Aquatics)
• Aimee Lawrence (City of Salford)
• Jessica Smith (City of Bristol/Chippenham)
• Grace Cruickshank (City of Bristol)
• Robyn Swatman (Walsall)
• Daisy Gunn (Portsmouth)