Great Britain select European Junior Open Water Championships squad

British Swimming have named a squad of seven marathon swimmers for the 2023 LEN European Junior Open Water Championships in Greece next month.

The British group will head to Corfu from September 29 – October 1 for four days of racing across U19, U17 and U15 age categories.

The squad has been chosen based upon the results of the selection event at the Swim Wales Challenge Series (Open Water) in June with all seven swimmers coming from English clubs.

It includes British 1500m Freestyle champion Amelie Blocksidge who is one of three City of Salford swimmers amongst the squad.

Blocksidge returns to the open water after picking up a gold and silver at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Maribor and a 1500m Freestyle silver at the European Junior Swimming Championships last month.

The 14-year-old will compete alongside her Salford teammate Katie Lee in the Women’s U15 5km race. Lee, who is currently part of the English School Swimming Associations squad at the World School Games in Rio, won gold in the 3km 15 Years event at last year’s Swim England’s Open Water National Age Group Championships and a silver this time around.

It’s an all Salford line-up for Great Britain in the 5km races as Benjamin Ross will take to the water in the Men’s 5km race for U15’s following his gold at Rother Valley for the National Age Group Championships to close out July.

Wycombe Districts’ Ella Dyson returns to the competition after her silver medal display at the 2019 event in Prague. She will be on the hunt for more medals in the U19 Women’s 10km event.

The Buckinghamshire based club will also see three of their own represent the nation in Greece with Samuel Williams and Lucy Fox taking on the U17 Men’s and Women’s 7.5km course respectively.

City of Leicester’s Sean McCann completes the British group after crossing the finishing gate fastest at the qualification event at the Llandegfedd Reservoir.

The championships in Corfu concludes with opportunity for Great Britain to enter a quartet from the travelling team into the Mixed U19 4×1.25km relay event.