Swim England Talent release 2023-24 Pathway Selection Criteria

Swim England’s Talent Pathway Selection Criteria has been released for the 2023-24 season which aims to promote ‘transparency, fairness and inclusion to all of our aspiring young swimmers’.

The criteria – which is a joint release for both of Swim England’s swimming and para-swimming talent teams – aims to guarantee the delivery of quality English swimmers and coaches on to British Swimming’s World Class Programmes.

Each stage of the national pathway is detailed within the document and outlines how athletes are selected onto the national framework.

The framework is comprised of the National Age Group Development Programme, National Youth Development Programme, Swim England Diploma in Sporting Excellence, Swim England Youth Performance Squad, Swim England Senior Performance Squad as well as the ‘Bespoke’ Para-Swimming Talent Programme.

It also details the continuation of the Distance Swimming Project where the national governing body is working with British Swimming to further develop international success in distance events and marathon swimming competition.

The Swim England talent team will continue to work with counties, regions and British Swimming/Para-Swimming to help develop activities to further enhance the athletes daily training environment, enabling swimmers and coaches to have continued support along their journey.

‘An integrated and inclusive environment’

Richard Blackshaw, Swim England head of talent – swimming, said of the release: “This selection criteria has been designed to create an integrated and inclusive environment to support the development of our athletes and coaches.

“We’ve put in place a programme to guide those athletes and coaches along their swimming journey by adding value to their daily environment.

“And as we head into an Olympic year we want to continue to produce the Olympians of the future whilst helping our swimmers develop as individuals too.

“We’re excited to continue the integration of both the para-swimming and swimming pathways and look forward to a season that brings a number of exciting opportunities.”

You can view the selection criteria here.