Participation in the Olympic Games is one of the biggest honours for athletes who compete in the sports that are part of the Olympic programme. Understandably, any active athlete would want to be on the team representing their nation at the Olympics. And while different sports have different ways of determining the eligible teams and qualified athletes, one thing they all have in common are the very demanding requirements.
In Great Britain, the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships is a very significant event for swimmers. Organized and held by the Aquatics GB, it is an annual championship, however every four years it also doubles as the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games. Aquatics GB is a governing body for several water sports, including swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, diving, and open water. It is a federation that unites national governing bodies of England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland swimmers are presented by the Irish swimming federation in international competitions, however for the Olympics they may choose to represent Aquatics GB.
Aquatic GB Swimming Championships are usually held in early to mid spring (March-April). Athletes compete in various disciplines in a long run (50 m) swimming pool. The results they show in this championship are often used as trials for participation in various international tournaments in the upcoming summer season.
Swimmers participating in the Aquatics GB compete in the following disciplines:
- Freestyle 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m
- Freestyle 800 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, relay
- Backstroke 50 m, 100 m, 200 m
- Breaststroke 50 m, 100 m, 200 m
- Butterfly 50 m, 100 m, 200 m
- Medley 200 m, 400 m, relay
Another aquatic sport included in the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships is diving. Athletes compete in disciplines such as:
- Springboard 1 m, 3 m, synchro
- Platform 10 m, synchro
- Plain
British Olympic Swimming Trials 2024: Who Will Swim at the Olympics
The 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championship was one of those special times when it also served as a qualifying trial for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The tournament was held between 3 and 8 of April 2024 in London. The hosting venue, London Aquatics Centre, has already seen Olympic class swimmers back in 2012 when London was hosting the Summer Games. But it hasn’t been since 2015 that the trials were conducted at the Centre.
This year’s championship didn’t include 50 metre sprint events as they are not part of the Olympic programme. On the other hand, 50 metre freestyle constitutes part of the Olympic tournament, and as such replaced the sprint competition at the British Olympic swimming trials 2024.
In order to qualify for a place on the national team representing Great Britain at the 2024 Olympics, swimmers have to finish first in one of the individual events. Those who finish second also have a chance to be nominated if they meet the Olympic entry standards. These are defined by the World Aquatic, an international federation governing international competitions in water sports and recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
Men’s Trials Results
Based on the results of the trials in men’s events, the following athletes were either automatically qualified or selected to swim for the British national team in Paris 2024.
| Event | Athlete | Time |
| Gold Medalists | ||
| 50 m freestyle | Ben Proud (Bath U) | 21.25 |
| 100 m freestyle | Matthew Richards (Millfield) | 47.84 |
| 200 m freestyle | Matthew Richards (Millfield) | 1:44.69 |
| 400 m freestyle | Kieran Bird (Bath) | 3:45.63 |
| 800 m freestyle | Tobias Robinson (Loughborough U) | 7:51.51 |
| 1500 m freestyle | Daniel Jervis (Swansea U) | 14:47.94 |
| 100 m backstroke | Oliver Morgan (Birmingham) | 52.70 (national record) |
| 200 m backstroke | Oliver Morgan (Birmingham) | 1:56.27 |
| 100 m breaststroke | Adam Peaty (Loughborough) | 57.94 |
| 200 m breaststroke | James Wilby (Loughborough) | 2:10.03 |
| 100 m butterfly | Joe Litchfield (Loughborough) (relay) | 51.71 |
| 200 m butterfly | Joshua Gammon (Bath) | 1:56.94 |
| 200 m individual medley | Duncan Scott (Stirling U) | 1:55.91 |
| 400 m individual medley | Max Litchfield (Loughborough) | 4:09.14 (national record) |
| Silver Medalist | ||
| 100 m breaststroke | James Wilby (Loughborough) | 59.47 |
Women’s Trials Results
Among women athletes, the following were either automatically qualified or selected into the British national Olympic team according to the results they showed at the British Olympic swimming trials 2024.
| Event | Athlete | Time |
| Gold Medalists | ||
| 50 m freestyle | Anna Hopkin (Loughborough) | 24.54 |
| 100 m freestyle | Anna Hopkin (Loughborough) | 53.33 |
| 200 m freestyle | Freya Colbert (Loughborough) | 1:56.22 |
| 400 m freestyle | Holly Hibbott (Bath) | 4:11.67 |
| 800 m freestyle | Amelie Blocksidge (Salford) | 8:32.61 (NAGR) |
| 1500 m freestyle | Amelie Blocksidge (Salford) | 16:13.39 |
| 100 m backstroke | Kathleen Dawson (Stirling U) | 59.74 |
| 200 m backstroke | Honey Osrin (Loughborough) | 2:08.37 |
| 100 m breaststroke | Angharad Evans (Stirling U) | 1:06.54 |
| 200 m breaststroke | Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh) | 2:24.59 |
| 100 m butterfly | Keanna Macinnes (University of Stirling) | 57.92 |
| 200 m butterfly | Keanna Macinnes (University of Stirling) | 2:07.24 |
| 200 m individual medley | Abbie Wood (Loughborough) | 2:08.91 |
| 400 m individual medley | Freya Colbert (Loughborough) | 4:34.01 |
| Silver Medalist | ||
| 50 m freestyle | Eva Okaro (Repton) | 24.96 |
| Bronze Medalists | ||
| 100 m freestyle | Freya Anderson (Repton) | 54.59 |
| 200 m freestyle | Medi Harris (Loughborough) (relay) | 1:58.10 |
Para Swimming Championships Results
It was the first time Aquatics GB Swimming Championships included para swimming in mixed categories into the tournament. While the para trials also act as classifiers for various championships, they are only partial qualifiers for the 2024 Summer Paralympics Games.
Since the tournaments are conducted under a different system, it doesn’t automatically guarantee a place on the Paralympic team. However, if a swimmer wishes to be considered, they need to meet a qualification time within their classification. Also known as “nomination time”, it is calculated based on points.
The following para swimmers earned a nomination in their respective classifications:
| Athlete | Classification | Event |
| Alice Tai | S8 | 100 Backstroke |
| 400 Freestyle | ||
| Brock Whiston | S8 | 100 Butterfly |
| 400 Freestyle | ||
| SB8 | 100 Breaststroke | |
| SM8 | 200 Individual Medley | |
| Callie-Ann Warrington | S10 | 100 Butterfly |
| Cameron Vearncombe | SM14 | 200 Individual Medley |
| Eliza Humphrey | S11 | 400 Freestyle |
| Ellie Challis | S3 | 50 Backstroke |
| Faye Rogers | S10 | 100 Butterfly |
| Grace Harvey | SB5 | 100 Breaststroke |
| Louise Fiddes | S14 | 200 Freestyle |
| SB14 | 200 Breaststroke | |
| Maisie Summers-Newton | SB6 | 100 Breaststroke |
| SM6 | 200 Individual Medley | |
| Mark Tompsett | S14 | 100 Backstroke |
| Megan Neave | S14 | 100 Backstroke |
| Olivia Newman-Baronius | S14 | 100 Backstroke |
| 100 Butterfly | ||
| 200 Freestyle | ||
| SM14 | 200 Individual Medley | |
| Poppy Maskill | S14 | 100 Backstroke |
| 100 Butterfly | ||
| 200 Freestyle | ||
| SM14 | 200 Individual Medley | |
| Rebecca Redfern | SB13 | 100 Breaststroke |
| Rhys Darbey | SM14 | 200 Individual Medley |
| Scarlett Humphrey | S11 | 400 Freestyle |
| Stephen Clegg | S12 | 100 Backstroke |
| 100 Butterfly | ||
| Susanna Hext | S6 | 200 Freestyle |
| Toni Shaw | S9 | 400 Freestyle |
| Tully Kearney | S5 | 100 Freestyle |
| 200 Freestyle | ||
| 50 Backstroke | ||
| William Ellard | S14 | 100 Backstroke |
| 100 Butterfly | ||
| SM14 | 200 Individual Medley |
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