Freya Anderson named in British Swimming squad for World Championships

Ellesmere College teenager Anderson, who is also contending with revision for her A-Levels this summer, struck gold at the British Championships last week in the 200m freestyle by one-hundredth of a second and in the 100m freestyle.

Despite being crowned double champion, such are the high standards at British Swimming her times were just under the qualification requirements.

But British Swimming have confirmed Anderson is off to Gwangju for the competition from July 12-28.

"I'm so super excited to be selected for my second World Championships, which sounds crazy to say!" the 18-year-old said.

"I had so much fun the first time and learnt so much so I can't wait to go again and try my best to swim fast. As my coach says – the hard work starts again!"

Defending world champions Adam Peaty, Ben Proud, Duncan Scott, Calum Jarvis and James Guy headline the team.

Making their senior international debuts will be the University of Stirling’s Scott McLay and Plymouth Leander’s Laura Stephens, after the pair delivered lifetime bests at the British Swimming Championships, which doubled up as the selection meet for Gwangju.

Two years ago in Budapest Adam Peaty stole the show, winning both the 100m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke, and he will look to secure a hat-trick of double golds in the Far East. Ben Proud was also a double medallist in Hungary, taking gold and bronze in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle respectively, whilst Guy, Jarvis and Scott formed part of the World Championship-winning men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team.

British Swimming national performance director Chris Spice said: “We had another great British Championships in Glasgow where we saw some exceptional individual performances from our established group of senior swimmers.

"In particular Duncan Scott, Adam Peaty, James Wilby, Max Litchfield and Ross Murdoch continued to show their class.

"And, of course, who could forget the brilliant 1500m freestyle swim from Dan Jervis that had everybody on their feet and really set the Championships alight.

“The selectors were also pleased to see that some younger athletes have grabbed the opportunity that we gave them at last year’s Europeans to step up and make this team.

"We saw superb lifetime bests from Luke Greenbank, Tom Dean, Anna Hopkin and Jess Fullalove that really built on those performances from last year.

"As we look towards Tokyo, the challenge now for the whole team is to move this on in the summer and swim a season’s best under the spotlights in Gwangju.”

With a top-12 finish in relay events securing a spot at next summer’s Olympic Games, Spice added: “In terms of our discretionary selections, this year a key consideration was the need to qualify our relays for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, whilst resting those relay athletes that could have large schedules in Gwangju.

"Having said that, the stand out swim from this category was Laura Stephens in the 200m butterfly, who just missed the World’s individual consideration time by 0.05 per cent, so she fully deserves her inclusion.

“Now that the team is finalised, we will head to a team preparation camp in June with all athletes and staff getting together for two legs of the Mare Nostrum series in Canet and Barcelona.

"We have also been fortunate to secure our pre-World’s holding camp in Yokohama this year, which will also form a dress rehearsal for our preparations for Tokyo 2020.”