With a month to go before the Opening Ceremony of the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Youth Games, Team England announces the athletes selected to compete.

Team England’s squad of 59 athletes, made up of more females than males, will compete in four of the sports on the programme with representation in Athletics and Para Athletics, Beach Volleyball, FAST5 Netball and Swimming. Team England will be competing in 65 medal events over the six days of competition.

Having begun in Edinburgh in 2000, the seventh edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games will take place on the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago between the 4th and 11th August with more than 1,000 young athletes aged between 14 and 18 from Nations and Territories across the Commonwealth.

This will be the first Commonwealth Youth Games where para-events are included on the sport programme in Athletics with Team England selecting four para-athletes. Three of the para-athletes were part of the Commonwealth Games Federation’s GAPS programme earlier this year, which is designed to support emerging athletes and coaches in their pursuit of excellence, breaking down barriers to participation and creating inclusive sport pathways for people with disabilities, women and girls.

15-year-old Maddie Down is one of the youngest Team England athletes to be selected and will be competing in Para Athletics. She said: “It is going to be an exciting experience and I would like to medal out there. I am going for the experience, and I have never been that far away for two weeks before. I think it will be great to go over there, compete and meet new people. I'm excited for what is going to happen, hopefully it can promote how exciting Para Athletics can be. I hope that it continues to get that same level of attention so that the whole para community can inspire the next generation."

Daisy Boardman, 16, is delighted to be selected for Trinbago to represent Team England in Beach Volleyball: “I honestly didn’t think I would be selected for something as big as this. When you get given that kit, no matter how many times you do it, you still get a rush for representing your country and you always get that adrenaline boost every time. I really look forward to those moments and the atmosphere that is created.”

Will Rabjohns, 17, can’t wait for the Athletics to start: “It’s going to be crazy going to Trinidad and Tobago, I’m really looking forward to it and it should be really exciting. I’m hoping to do my best, there are some very good athletes from around the world that are going to be there but I’m going to give it all I’ve got.”

Netball’s Darcie Everitt, 17, is delighted to be selected: “It’s hugely exciting to be going and it is special that the people who have been selected, including myself have been recognised. It’s incredible, I’m honoured to be picked for it.”


Team England’s Chef de Mission, Francesca Carter-Kelly welcomed the athletes to the team: “I’m looking forward to working with such an exciting squad of athletes for what I’m sure will be a fantastic Games at Trinbago 2023. We have an extremely talented group heading out to Trinidad and Tobago who are all primed to deliver at the Commonwealth Youth Games and make it an experience to remember. This is a great opportunity to compete on the international stage and get a first experience of a multi-sport environment. I’m excited for competition to begin and I’m sure we will see many standout performances and future stars emerge."

There are seven events on the sport programme for Trinbago 2023 including: Aquatics (Swimming) Athletics and Para Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Cycling (Road and Track), FAST5 Netball, Rugby Sevens and Triathlon.

Trinbago 2023 will be the first Commonwealth Youth Games held since the Bahamas 2017. Several high-profile athletes started their journey competing for Team England at previous Commonwealth Youth Games and have gone on to achieve great success at senior Games, including Jess Ennis-Hill, Dina Asher Smith, Jazmin Sawyers, Tom Dean, Alicia Wilson, Alex Yee and Beach Volleyball’s Bello brothers, Joaquin and Javier.


ATHLETES

Athletics

Mabel Oluwayemisi Akande, 16 (Lincoln; Lincoln Wellington AC)

Jess Bailey, 16 (Ulverston; Leven Valley AC)

Alexander Beck, 16 (Alton; Winchester)

Lyla Belshaw, 15 (Colchester; Colchester Harriers)

Alice Bennett, 17 (Northampton; Kettering Town Harriers)

Thea Brown, 16 (Stockport; Sale Harriers)

Stanley Chevous, 16 (Ipswich; Ipswich Harriers)

Phoebe Gill, 16 (Wheathampstead; St Albans AC)

Ethan Glyde, 16 (Plymouth; City of Plymouth)

Noah Hanson, 17 (London; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Charlotte Henrich, 16 (Canterbury; Invicta)

Ayesha Jones, 16 (Milton Keynes; Marshall Milton Keynes AC)

Annie Mann, 17 (Romsey; Winchester Athletics)

Eliza Nicholson, 16 (Sevenoaks; Herne Hill Harriers)

Ebuka Nwokeji, 16 (Northampton; Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers)

Stephanie Okoro, 17 (Romford; Havering AC)

Oliver Parker, 17 (Leicester; Rugby Northampton AC)

Brandon Pye, 17 (Sunderland; Houghton Harriers AC)

William Rabjohns, 17 (Dorset; Poole AC)

Tom Rutter, 16 (Knebworth; Hertford Ware Combines)

D'Mitri Varlack, 16 (Coventry; Coventry Godiva Harriers)

Miles Waterworth, 17 (Milton Keynes; Marshall Milton Keynes)

Harriet Wheeler, 15 (Chester; West Cheshire AC)

Arabella Wilson, 16 (Guildford: Winchester and District AC)

Teddy Wilson, 16 (Enfield; Be Fit Today Track Academy)

Samuel Wright, 16 (Billericay; Chelmsford)

Para Athletics

Rosie Porter, 16 (Watford; Herts Phoenix AC)

Bebe Jackson, 17 (Harlow; Harlow AC)

Maddie Down, 15 (Birmingham; Halesowen AC)

Vincent Forkner, 16 (Huntington; Huntingdonshire AC)

Beach Volleyball

Daisy Boardman, 16 (Manchester; Urmston Grammar Volleyball Club)

Alice Jagielska, 16 (Harrow; Richmond Volleyball Club)

Rob Morgan, 18 (Braunton: Exeter Storm Volleyball Club)

Peter Soczewka, 18 (Barnet, Perdue Fort Wayne University)

Netball

Sophie Egbaran, 18 (Bedford; Central Warriors)

Darcie Everitt, 17 (Milton Keynes; London Pulse)

Tori Fisher, 17 (Wokingham; Saracens Mavericks)

Izzy Kaye, 17 (Silverstone; Central Warriors)

Emily Pawlett, 17 (Chester; Manchester Thunder)

Regan Peters, 17 (Ruislip, Surrey Storm)

Isabella Phillips, 17 (London; London Pulse)

Eleanor Sadler, 16 (London; London Pulse)

Anya Williams, 16 (Manchester; Manchester Thunder)

Ella Williams, 17 (Poole; Team Bath)

Swimming

Ashleigh Baillie, 16 (Sheffield; City of Sheffield Swim Squad)

Oscar Bilbao, 17 (Hereford; Hamilton Swimming Dubai and Repton Swimming UK)

Hannah Bowley, 17 (Pinner; Repton Swimming Club)

Skye Carter, 15 (Basildon; Basildon Phoenix)

Evie Dilley, 17 (Middlesbrough; Millfield)

Nick Finch, 16 (London; Chelsea & Westminster)

Reece Grady, 18 (Macclesfield, Stockport Metro SC)

Adam Graham, 17 (Hook; Millfield)

Blythe Kinsman, 16 (Plymouth; Mount Kelly)

Erin Little, 17 (Essex; Mount Kelly)

Edward Marcal Whittles, 17 (London; Chelsea & Westminster)

Sienna Robinson, 18 (Sheffield; City of Sheffield Swim Squad)

Reuben Rowbotham-Keating, 17 (Manchester; City of Manchester Swim Team)

Harry Wynne-Jones, 17 (Buckingham; City of Milton Keynes Swim Club)