British Para-Swimming announce new talent structure

British Para-Swimming have announced a change in their performance pathway for the four-year cycle to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The existing Podium Potential programme will remain in place, for athletes showing potential to reach the podium at the next Paralympics.

This will be supported by a new Para-Academy squad for the next four years. The Para-Academy aims to help the transition from home national talent programmes to British Para-Swimming’s World Class Programme.

Both programmes will feature 18 swimmers, with the majority of places filled by English swimmers for 2017.

The elite Podium programme will remain as the top level of the Para-Swimming World Class Performance Programme.

Rio 2016 Paralympic medallists Jessica-Jane Applegate, Rebecca Redfern, Stephanie Slater, Alice Tai and Lewis White are among 16 English swimmers on the Podium Potential programme.

Another 10 English swimmers have been named in the Para-Academy.

“This last season has seen some significant performances from our younger athletes,” said Performance Pathway Manager Craig Nicholson.

“As we move into the next four-year cycle to Tokyo we have made some changes to the structure, where there will be two groups of developing athletes.

“The Podium Potential programme will continue with 18 selected athletes. This is a strong focused group and they show the potential to reach the podium in 2020.

“This will be underpinned by a new Para-Academy Squad which will form the transition and confirmation process from Home Nation talent programmes onto the World Class Programme.

“This a really exciting opportunity for the programme to engage with 18 new young athletes who are currently showing they have the potential to be at 2020 or 2024 and to expose them to the what the expectations are of the World Class Programme prior to them hopefully being selected in the future.

“As a programme we are looking forward to supporting and working with the athletes and their coaches during the coming seasons.”

Podium Potential

  • Jessica-Jane Applegate (UEA City of Norwich)
  • Jonathan Booth (Borough of Kirklees)
  • Ben Foulston (Nova Centurion)
  • Kahoru Harazawa (Loughborough University)
  • Danielle Hartin (Basildon Phoenix)
  • Grace Harvey (Hoddesdon SC)
  • Lily Macleod (Mount Kelly)
  • Jay McCabe (Derwentside)
  • Zara Mullooly (City of Guildford)
  • Rebecca Redfern (Worcester City)
  • Megan Richter (Orion)
  • Jaxon Simmons (City of Peterborough)
  • Stephanie Slater (Preston)
  • Maisie Summers-Newton (Northampton)
  • Alice Tai (Bournemouth College)
  • Lewis White (City of Derby)

Para-Academy

  • Oludaisi Adefisan (Beckenham)
  • Aliya Bacakoglu (Halifax)
  • Jordan Catchpole (UEA City of Norwich)
  • Katie Crowhurst (Wycombe District)
  • Louise Fiddes (Hatfield)
  • Abbie Hampshire (Skipton / Colne)
  • Jacob Leach (Cockermouth)
  • Elise Martin De La Torre (Hatfield)
  • Matthew Rishworth (Staines)
  • Liam Spence (Kingston-upon-Hull)
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