BRITISH CHAMPS 2018

We're diving straight into the British Champs 2018

Whilst for many athletes in the UK each year the British Championships is a target meet for swimmers - a chance to peak, perform at their best and secure qualification for one of several international summer meets - this year will be slightly different. With many of our F-Teamers heading out to the Gold Coast in just a few weeks' time, this is the last chance to race before the big day... so no taper, no fresh feels and certainly no rest for the wicked. For others they'll be rested, aiming high, chasing PBs and hoping for success.

The event will be held at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, and will also double up as an international swim meet, inviting guests from all across Europe. The pool is home to both F-Teamers Tain Bruce and Kat Greenslade.

Tain Bruce (right) and Pia Murray (left) stepping up to the block in their Funkita APEX performance suits.

Tain will be competing in all 3 Butterfly events. "After a successful BUCs Long Course I am excited to be racing again, especially in my home pool. I want to keep chipping away at the Scottish National Record in the 100, and become more competitive at national level in the 200."

Kat will be starting behind the blocks in both the 100 and 200 freestyle and backstroke events, where she hopes to gain some good race preparation before the Commonwealth Games.

After a brilliant Winter Meet Leah Crisp is hoping for more this year at the British Champs. "I'd like to improve on my 800 and 400 PB's to achieve the qualifying times for summer nationals. I am also swimming the 1500 freestyle for the second time to gain a bit more experience in the event. Call me mad, but I enjoyed the first one."

Emily is hoping qualify for the British Summer Champs

The same goes for Oxford Swimmer Emily Ford. "Champs is the beginning of the qualifying window for British Summer Champs so I am hoping to post some fast times that will put me in a good position on the rankings."

Lizzie Harris will swim in the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle events throughout the week. "My targets are to make finals and achieve seasons bests in all my events."

Ciara Schlosshan will step up to the block in the women's 100 and 200 butterfly as well as the 200 and 400 individual medely. "I can't wait to race and hopefully qualify for the European junior championships in Helsinki. It would be my 3rd and final European Juniors so it would be pretty special."

Athena Clayson is also aiming to secure her spot on the European Junior team. "I need to PB my best events the 100m backstroke to swim under the qualification times. I'm already really close so that's the one I'll be working towards. I'm also looking to work on some of my race processes that I have began to develop with my coach."

F-Teamer's Maisie Elliott and Pia Murray will both have very busy schedules next week as they will race in a mixture of freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke events. Maisie will be one of the youngest swimmers at the meet but she isn't going to let that hold her back as she hopes to qualify for the junior finals in the butterfly events. "I have just got back from a training camp in Majorca which was amazing. The training was really hard so hopefully I am ready for the trials."

Irish swimmer and World Junior Champion, Mona McSharry, will also be swimming in Edinburgh and racing in all the breaststroke events, plus the 50 freestyle and butterfly. "I won't be rested so I am not quite sure what to expect. My next tapered competition will be the Irish Nationals in April, so this will be a good preparation meet for me to work on different things."

Aimee gearing up for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April

As for our swimmers heading to the Commonwealth Games they all have slightly different targets in mind. Aimee Willmott will be in action across all 4 days of the meet competing in both individual medleys, as well as the 200 freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke. "I'm not really expecting to swim very fast this week, but it would be great to execute all my race processes heading into April!"

Molly Renshaw and Jocelyn Ulyett will be going head to head in the women's 100 and 200 breaststroke in preparation for the battle on the Gold Coast.

Jocelyn rocking Wing Attack in a Single Strap One Piece

Abbie Wood, Rosie Rudin, Jessica Jackson, Ellie Faulkner, Holly Hibbott and Kathleen Dawson, will also be racing throughout the week in various events which they too will be in amongst the action at the Commonwealth Games.

Isle of Man swimmer Charlotte Atkinson will be making a flying visit to Edinburgh to race in the women's 200 butterfly for one last hit out before the big event Down Under!

For a full list of entries see below:

100 Freestyle
200 Freestyle
400 Freestyle

Thursday 1st March
Saturday 3rd March

200 IM
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly

Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March
Sunday 4th March

200 Freestyle
400IM
200 IM
200 Breaststroke

Thursday 1st March
Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March

200 Freestyle
400 Freestyle
800 Freestyle

Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March

100 Breaststroke
200 Breaststroke

Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March

50 Breaststroke
100 Breaststroke

Sunday 4th March
Friday 2nd March

200 Freestyle
400 Freestyle

Thursday 1st March
Saturday 3rd March

50 Backstroke
100 Backstroke
200 Backstroke

Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March

50 Backstroke
100 Backstroke

Saturday 3rd March

50 Backstroke
100 Backstroke
200 Backstroke

Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March

400 IM
100 Breaststroke
200 IM
200 Breaststroke

Friday 2nd March
Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March

50 Butterfly
100 Butterfly
200 Butterfly

Thursday 1st March
Sunday 4th March

200 Freestyle
400 IM
200 IM
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly

Thursday 1st March
Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March
Sunday 4th March

200 Freestyle
400 Freestyle
800 Freestyle
1500 Freestyle

Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March
Sunday 4th March

50 Backstroke
100 Butterfly
200 Backstroke
100 Backstroke
50 Butterfly

Thursday 1st March
Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March
Saturday 3rd March

50 Backstroke
100 Backstroke
200 backstroke

Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March

200IM

Thursday 1st March
Friday 2nd March

200 Breaststroke

Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March

200IM
200 Backstroke

Friday 2nd March
Friday 2nd March

50 Butterfly
100 Butterfly
200 Butterfly
50 Freestyle
100 Freestyle
200 Freestyle
400 Freestyle

Thursday 1st March
Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March
Sunday 4th March
Thursday 1st March
Saturday 3rd March

50 Butterfly
50 Freestyle
50 Breaststroke
100 Freestyle
100 Breaststroke
200 Breaststroke

Friday 2nd March
Sunday 4th March
Sunday 4th March
Saturday 3rd March
Saturday 3rd March

100 Butterfly
200 Butterfly
200 IM
400 IM

Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March
Thursday 1st March

200 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
100 Backstroke
100 Freestyle

Thursday 1st March
Friday 2nd March
Saturday 3rd March
Sunday 4th March

200 Butterfly

Saturday 4th March

50 Freestyle
100 Freestyle
200 Freestyle

Sunday 4th March
Thursday 1st March

50 Butterfly
100 Butterfly
200 Butterfly
50 Backstroke
100 Backstroke
200 Backstroke
200 IM

Thursday 1st March
Sunday 4th March
Thursday 1st March
Saturday 3rd March
Friday 2nd March
Friday 2nd March