British Swimming Championships 2024

[Epic Failure 364]

1 hour ago, Rafa Maciel said:

So, at the half-way stage of the champs, I reckon we're at 18 tickets allocated with 2 more likely (Cox/Wilby) and 2 sitting on the cusp (Hanlon/Bird).

 

Tomorrow, I think we will allocate another 3 quotas - 2 in the 100m Butterfly (Peters & Guy) and 1 in the 200m Backstroke (Osrin).

 

Shanahan (200 back), Dean (200 IM) and Scott (200 IM) should also get the times for their respective events but already have spots on the team. 

Don't think the 200IM is definitely a sure thing for Dean/Scott as a pair. Max Litchfield is obviously on form and is only half a second back of Dean on PBs. Obviously it wouldn't change the make up of the team anyway as all 3 are on the train.

 

Likewise, Dawson could challenge Osrin for that back spot.

 

 

[RussB 189]

6 minutes ago, Rafa Maciel said:

Question for the sane and reasonable members of the group - you know who you are.

 

If Eva Okaro gets selected for the squad - either in the 100m free individual or, as a member of the 4x100 free relay squad, would the selectors nominate her to swim the 50 free at the Europeans to see if she can get the OQT of 24.70?

 

She was only 0.26 seconds short this evening, dropping her PB from 25.18 set earlier in the year. The champs are in Belgrade so not exactly a taxing journey and I don't think racing that one event would impede her Olympic prep in any way. The selection policy does say that anyone selected for Paris will not be nominated for Belgrade, but I can't see what they would have to lose by giving her the chance to go for a qualifying time for the 50.

I hesitate to answer in fear of self-doubting achieving those two criteria 

 

for what it's worth Eva has been one I've been hoping could make the team after her ridiculous 50m relay split in Canada in short course in Dec 2023. The drops in time were anticipated for the 100m rather than the 50m in terms of getting close to OQT and more importantly in consideration for the relays. With the assumption that the team can make the time, you'd have to imagine Eva will be part of the top 4. Would the selectors be pushing her to Europeans so she could swim an additional event? My gut would be no. Let her focus on the 100m would be what I suspect the message would be. She is still over 2 tenths off the time which in a 50 is no mean feat to drop that chunk once again in a few months.

[RussB 189]

3 minutes ago, Epic Failure said:

Don't think the 200IM is definitely a sure thing for Dean/Scott as a pair. Max Litchfield is obviously on form and is only half a second back of Dean on PBs. Obviously it wouldn't change the make up of the team anyway as all 3 are on the train.

 

Likewise, Dawson could challenge Osrin for that back spot.

 

 

A little outside bet I think has a fair chance is Honey to beat Katie in the 200m back and qualify directly.

[Cinnamon Bun 911]

8 minutes ago, Rafa Maciel said:

Question for the sane and reasonable members of the group - you know who you are.

 

If Eva Okaro gets selected for the squad - either in the 100m free individual or, as a member of the 4x100 free relay squad, would the selectors nominate her to swim the 50 free at the Europeans to see if she can get the OQT of 24.70?

 

She was only 0.26 seconds short this evening, dropping her PB from 25.18 set earlier in the year. The champs are in Belgrade so not exactly a taxing journey and I don't think racing that one event would impede her Olympic prep in any way. The selection policy does say that anyone selected for Paris will not be nominated for Belgrade, but I can't see what they would have to lose by giving her the chance to go for a qualifying time for the 50.

I'm honestly not sure. When the selection policy came out I was quite shocked that the Mare Nostrum events weren't on there as alternative events to achieve the standard at as they have been in previous years. I think this could be a possibility for someone like Okoro or Hanlon as British Swimming (Aquatics GB is still weird to me) do like to have maximum representation in all events if possible whilst also keeping the integrity of the selection policy. 

[Rafa Maciel 1,712]

7 minutes ago, Epic Failure said:

Don't think the 200IM is definitely a sure thing for Dean/Scott as a pair. Max Litchfield is obviously on form and is only half a second back of Dean on PBs. Obviously it wouldn't change the make up of the team anyway as all 3 are on the train.

 

Likewise, Dawson could challenge Osrin for that back spot.

 

 

I don't see Dawson getting a spot in 200 - she doesn't tend to as well in it as she does in the 100. Even when she was getting the European record in the 100 back, she wasn't in the squad for the 200. 

[Epic Failure 364]

10 minutes ago, Rafa Maciel said:

Question for the sane and reasonable members of the group - you know who you are.

 

If Eva Okaro gets selected for the squad - either in the 100m free individual or, as a member of the 4x100 free relay squad, would the selectors nominate her to swim the 50 free at the Europeans to see if she can get the OQT of 24.70?

 

She was only 0.26 seconds short this evening, dropping her PB from 25.18 set earlier in the year. The champs are in Belgrade so not exactly a taxing journey and I don't think racing that one event would impede her Olympic prep in any way. The selection policy does say that anyone selected for Paris will not be nominated for Belgrade, but I can't see what they would have to lose by giving her the chance to go for a qualifying time for the 50.

Not sure whether I'm sane :D

 

I'd have thought something like Mare Nostrum would be more likely if they really wanted her to target that individual spot. Slightly further removed from the Olympics themselves.

 

Honestly though, I don't think they would be pushing her to do it. Barring a huge drop she wouldn't be a finalist in either distance. So her biggest upside right now is the relay. Doubtful they would encourage something that might put that in jeopardy.

[Cinnamon Bun 911]

5 minutes ago, RussB said:

I hesitate to answer in fear of self-doubting achieving those two criteria 

 

for what it's worth Eva has been one I've been hoping could make the team after her ridiculous 50m relay split in Canada in short course in Dec 2023. The drops in time were anticipated for the 100m rather than the 50m in terms of getting close to OQT and more importantly in consideration for the relays. With the assumption that the team can make the time, you'd have to imagine Eva will be part of the top 4. Would the selectors be pushing her to Europeans so she could swim an additional event? My gut would be no. Let her focus on the 100m would be what I suspect the message would be. She is still over 2 tenths off the time which in a 50 is no mean feat to drop that chunk once again in a few months.

I reckon they'd want a second, younger swimmer competing in the Women's 50 free at the Olympics this year to get that experience for future games. In the nicest way possible Anna is getting on a bit now and it's quite unclear if she'll even do LA in 4 years time. The splash and dash is one of the marquee events of every games, and not having a representative in it would be majorly embarrassing on our part. My guess is they let her choose whether she wants to do is, as she's definitely more than capable of dropping almost 3 tenths off her time despite how hard it is. 

[Epic Failure 364]

4 minutes ago, Rafa Maciel said:

I don't see Dawson getting a spot in 200 - she doesn't tend to as well in it as she does in the 100. Even when she was getting the European record in the 100 back, she wasn't in the squad for the 200. 

She doesn't always swim it but she has a PB from the 2021 trials which is quicker that Osrin's best from earlier this year.

 

Obviously not a guarantee but after her form in the 100m, I'm loathe to rule out the possibility.

[Rafa Maciel 1,712]

2 minutes ago, Epic Failure said:

Not sure whether I'm sane :D

 

I'd have thought something like Mare Nostrum would be more likely if they really wanted her to target that individual spot. Slightly further removed from the Olympics themselves.

 

Honestly though, I don't think they would be pushing her to do it. Barring a huge drop she wouldn't be a finalist in either distance. So her biggest upside right now is the relay. Doubtful they would encourage something that might put that in jeopardy.

I agree - I don't think they'd push any athlete to go and chase a time. But the question was more would they give her the option to say that if she can get the OQT between now and the end of June, she can go in the individual event? Technically, it would still be within the letter of the selection policy. 

[RussB 189]

1 minute ago, Rafa Maciel said:

I agree - I don't think they'd push any athlete to go and chase a time. But the question was more would they give her the option to say that if she can get the OQT between now and the end of June, she can go in the individual event? Technically, it would still be within the letter of the selection policy. 

Interesting question about whether the same happens in the 100m, i.e. she gets 2nd to Anna and narrowly misses the time