Double Olympic Champion Rebecca Adlington will stand alongside World Champions Liam Tancock, Gemma Spofforth and Keri-Anne Payne when they represent England at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games as part of a 45-strong swimming squad that was finalised today after last weekend’s final selection event.

The team, announced today by Commonwealth Games England, will compete for Commonwealth honours against the likes of world number two swimming nation Australia, the emerging might of Canada and a strong South African squad while rivalries with Scotland and Wales will be fierce.

Four years ago in Melbourne, England’s swimmers returned with 22 medals and Team Leader for England’s swimmers John Atkinson believes the team of 2010 has the quality to get close to that figure.

“I’m delighted Commonwealth Games England has selected such an impressive contingent of athletes to represent England with 45 swimmers being one of the largest swimming teams in the modern era of the Games,” said Atkinson.

“It’s a full strength England team with tremendous potential. To have so many Olympic and World Championship medallists competing for England will serve the team well as they enter their final preparations for Delhi in October.”

Accompanying England’s more established athletes is a crop of young talent that emerged at the final qualification event in Sunderland last week – the ASA National Championships.

For the likes of Ryan Bennett, Anne Bochmann and Emma Saunders, the Commonwealth Games will provide the athletes with their first major international event.

“Standing alongside our international medallists in Delhi will be a number of swimmers making their debuts,” explained Atkinson. “We have seen a number of breakthrough performances this season to make the England team and that’s exciting for the sport.

“However, it will be tough in Delhi for our swimmers. Australia continues to be a dominant force in world swimming, Canada are riding high after an impressive two years and the likes of New Zealand and South Africa will always challenge for medals.

“For the swimmers, the Commonwealth Games has been the focus of their entire year and I’m excited at our prospects.”

Craig Hunter, England Chef de Mission for Delhi said:  “It is with pride that we welcome such a strong swimming contingent into the England team for the Games in October.  We wish them every success with their final preparations for Delhi and at the Games themselves.

Commonwealth Games England announced the first wave of swimmers to be selected for Delhi back in April after the British Swimming Championships – the first round of qualification. Following the ASA Championships last week a further 15 swimmers have been added at the final opportunity.

England Swimming Team, Delhi 2010

New Selections as at 24.08.10
Women
Anne Bochmann - DOB 22.08.83, born Norwich, lives Norwich, club City of Leeds
Jessica Dickons - 17.08.90, Stockton-on-Tees, Bath, Stockton/ Bath ITC
Kate Haywood - 11.04.87, Grimsby, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Kate Hutchinson - 21.09.90, Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, Dewsbury, Loughborough Uni
Stephanie Proud - 29.08.88, Durham, Gainesville in Florida, Gator Swim Club/ Chester-Le-Street
Emma Saunders - 30.07.94, Billinge in Lancashire, Bolton, Manchester Aquatics

Men
Steven Beckerleg - DOB 17.11.89, born Plymouth, lives Plymouth, club Plymouth Leander
Ryan Bennett - 18.09.90, Cambridge, Stirling, Preston/ Stirling ITC
Richard Charlesworth - 26.10.88, Hemel Hempstead, Hemel Hempstead, Hatfield
Daniel Coombs - 19.05.88, Preston, Loughborough, Chorley Marlins/ Loughborough ITC
Anthony James - 05.11.89, Plymouth, Plymouth, Plymouth Leander
Daniel Sliwinski - 04.04.90, Preston in Lancashire, Preston, Gallic

Andrew Willis - 03.12.90, Frimley in Surrey, Yately in Hampshire/Bath ITC

Para-Swimmers
Stephanie Millward - DOB 20.09.81, born Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, lives Swansea in Wales, Swansea Performance/ Swansea HPC
Simon Miller - 10.06.86, Shoreham-By-Sea in West Sussex, Manchester, City of Manchester
Robert Welbourn - 11.06.87, Chesterfield, Swansea, Swansea Performance/ Swansea HPC
 
Original selections as at 20.04.10
Rebecca Adlington - DOB 17.02.89, born Mansfield, lives Nottingham, club Nova Centurion
Achieng Ajula-Bushell - 22.03.94, Warrington, Ealing, Ealing
Robert Bale - 19.07.90, Manchester, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Adam Brown - 16.01.89, Cambridge, Sandy in Bedfordshire, Hatfield
Simon Burnett - 14.04.83, Oxford, Tucson in Arizona USA, Windsor/ Tucson
Ross Davenport - 23.05.84, Derby, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Daniel Fogg - 24.08.87, Edmonton in Middlesex, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Ellen Gandy - 15.08.91, Farnborough in Kent, Melbourne in Australia, Beckenham/ CA Tritans
James Goddard - 30.03.83, Victoria in the Seychelles, Stockport in Cheshire, Stockport Metro/ Stockport ITC
Francesca Halsall - 12.04.90, Southport in Lancashire, Southport, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Jo Jackson - 12.09.86, Northallerton in North Yorkshire, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Sasha Matthews - 31.03.91, Nottingham, Nottingham, Nova Centurion.
Thomas Parris - 25.01.91, Eastbourne, Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex, Hastings/ Stirling ITC
Roberto Pavoni - 22.03.91, Harold Wood in Essex, Loughborough, Brentwood/ Loughborough ITC
Keri-Anne Payne - 09.12.87, Johannesburg in South Africa, Manchester, Stockport Metro/ Stockport ITC
Michael Rock - 13.03.87, Liverpool, Stockport in Cheshire, Stockport Metro/ Stockport ITC
Joe Roebuck - 05.06.85, Rotherham, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni
Elizabeth Simmonds - 22.01.91, Beverley in East Yorkshire, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Amy Smith - 24.07.87, Kidderminster in Worcestershire, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni
Gemma Spofforth - 17.11.87, Shoreham-By-Sea in West Sussex, Florida in USA, Portsmouth Nailsea/ Florida Gators
Jess Sylvester - 09.07.87, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Nova Centurion
Stacey Tadd - 21.02.89, Bath, Radstock in Somerset, Bath University
Liam Tancock - 07.05.85, Exeter, Exeter, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Becki Turner - 01.08.92, Rotherham, Rotherham, City of Sheffield
Grant Turner - 11.03.89, Swindon, Loughborough, Loughborough Uni/ Loughborough ITC
Chris Walker-Hebborn - 07.01.90, Enfield, Bath, Team Ipswich/ Bath ITC
Richard Webb - 03.05.87, Bristol, North Yate in Gloucestershire, Team Ipswich/ Bath ITC
Aimee Willmott - 26.02.93, Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough
Katherine Wyld - 09.03.86, Wandsworth, Nottingham, Nova Centurion

The 2010 Commonwealth Games take place in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. They will feature 17 sports - archery, aquatics (swimming, synchronised swimming & diving), athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. With the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Commonwealth Games England is entering a breath-taking four years of sport.

Commonwealth Games England (GCE) is the organisation responsible for selecting and organising England's team at the Commonwealth Games. England finished second to Australia on the medal table at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games with 36 golds, 40 silvers and 34 bronzes.

Sport England is responsible for building the foundations of sporting success, by creating a world-leading community sport system of clubs, coaches, facilities and volunteers. Their focus is growing and sustaining the numbers of people taking part in sport and improving talent development to help more people excel.

For further information about Commonwealth Games England please contact the Commonwealth Games England press office at Matchtight Ltd on (01225) 443 998 or see the CGE’s  website at www.weareengland.org

For further information about British Swimming contact Lauren Sanderson on
01509 640236. Mobile: 07795 251 917 [email protected]