English swimmers selected for 2023 European Junior Championships

Fourteen-year-old Amelie Blocksidge is among the 34-strong British Swimming team selected for the 2023 European Junior Swimming Championships.

It will be Blocksidge’s first appearance for Great Britain at a major international event following her momentous victory in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle at the British Swimming Championships.

The team contains more than 20 English swimmers who will descend on the Serbian capital of Belgrade for the Championships from 4-9 July.

The annual competition showcases the best up-and-coming talent on the continent – for athletes born primarily between 2005-2009 – with successful swimmers from the event consistently going on to make impressions on the senior European and global stages.

And the team will be looking to build on a successful set of performances in last year’s edition of the competition, which saw the group earn 11 medals and gain valuable international experience.

This year’s squad features several individuals who contributed to that medal tally in Otopeni last summer, including Great Britain’s sole individual gold medallist Leah Schlosshan.

She will be looking to defend her Women’s 200m Individual Medley title before she, and Sevenoaks swimmer Eva Okaro, head off to join up with the European Under-23s Swimming Championships squad the following month.

Evie Dilley, Ashleigh Baillie, Erin Little, Matthew Ward and Reuben Rowbotham-Keating also return to the competition after their medal success last year alongside European Youth Olympic Festival medallists Oscar Bilbao, Phoebe Cooper, Blythe Kinsman, Skye Carter and Stefan Krawiec.

‘A strong team with junior international experience’

Speaking on the team selection, British Swimming Head of Performance Development Alan Lynn was full of optimism about what the young team can produce, ahead of a host of international events for this group down the line.

He said: “The British Swimming Championships allowed our junior swimmers to showcase the best of their abilities ahead of what will be another productive year for those looking to make their way into the senior teams.

“We have selected a strong team with experience from across the junior competitions, who will all be aiming to move their performances on in what will be an unfamiliar arena in Belgrade.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do just one year out from Paris and five years out from LA 2028.”