O’Connor and Guy among entries for National Winter Championships

Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and James Guy are among a host of international stars entered for next month’s Swim England National Winter Championships 2017 in Sheffield.

The event will take place at Ponds Forge from 13 – 17 December and is the final chance for swimmers to stake a claim for a place on the English team for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

While Guy has already been selected for the Commonwealths, he will be hoping to rubber stamp his selection for the 200m Fly, for which he is fastest qualifier in Sheffield on 1:55.91.

Olympic 200m IM silver medallist O’Connor was also one of the 15 athletes announced in the first phase of selection for the Games.

However, the University of Bath swimmer could have half an eye on relay selection for the Gold Coast, having entered the 200m Free and 100m Fly in Sheffield.

O’Connor is also down to compete in the 100m Breast, taking on the likes of Canada’s World finalist Kierra Smith and British 50m Breast record holder Imogen Clark.

Three top entries in women’s 400m IM

The women’s 400m Individual Medley could be one of the most exciting races of the week, with three English athletes – Aimee Willmott, Abbie Wood and Rusie Rudin – all entered on sub-4:40.

While Scotland’s Hannah Miley – winner of the 400m IM at the past two Commonwealth Games – will maintain a watching brief in the long medley, she is entered in 10 other events in Sheffield.

Olympic medallist Chris Walker-Hebborn is fastest entry for both the 50m and 100m Backstroke, while Rio 2016 Olympic 200m Breaststroke finalists Andrew Willis and Molly Renshaw are among the other top senior entries.

World Junior bronze medallist Annabel Guye-Johnson is one of the eye-catching junior entries for the event, while 2017 European Junior gold medallists Tom Dean and Layla Black are also set to line up in Sheffield.