Olympic Champions and Rising Stars Headline Great Britain Team for 2026 European Championships in Paris.
Aquatics GB is delighted to confirm a 36-strong swimming team for the 2026 European Championships, featuring a host of Olympic champions and rising stars fresh from outstanding performances at the recently concluded 2026 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in London. This year’s European Championships will bring together the continent’s top swimmers in what promises to be a fiercely competitive and high-quality meet following immediately on from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The GB team sees the return of triple Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty alongside an exceptional group of Olympic gold medalists: James Guy, Duncan Scott, Matt Richards, and Jack McMillan, all who took part in another memorable Men’s 200m Freestyle on a stunning final night at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in London last week. They will also be joined by fellow Olympic Champion Tom Dean who missed the championships through injury. Together, they bring a wealth of international experience, proven success on the biggest stages, and a shared ambition for more European success.
On the women’s side, Angharad Evans and Freya Colbert arrive in exceptional form, having both delivered British record-breaking swims at the championships and alongside Abbie Wood, Lauren Cox and European relay stalwart Freya Anderson, their performances underline the strength and upward trajectory of British women’s swimming as they prepare to take on Europe’s elite.
Adding further excitement to the team is a group of rising stars who impressed individually on the global stage last year. Filip Nowacki, Jacob Mills, Amalie Smith, and Theodora Taylor have earned senior selection, highlighting Aquatics GB’s strong development pathway and commitment to nurturing future champions. Joining them are European under 23 medalists from last year: Jack Skerry, Tyler Melbourne-Smith and Matt Ward who all impressed in London with a range of personal bests and eye-catching performances.
Head Coach Steven Tigg praised the balance of the team and the focus on relay development for the LA 2028 Olympics: "We were delighted with the overall standard of the Aquatics GB Championships in London. Clubs and coaches across the board had prepared their athletes to a very high level.
“Competition for places was fierce, with the increased depth from our younger athletes asking questions of our more established cohort who rose to the challenge. This can only sharpen our competitive skills and develop our racing nerve as we build towards an exciting summer. Firstly, at the Commonwealth Games where a wide range of athletes from our Home Nation partners will compete in front of a Glasgow crowd, before culminating in Paris, where the focus will turn to British representation and more specific individual programmes and our Olympic relay teams against tough European competition.
“It is a tremendous opportunity for increased race exposure to test the team’s physical robustness and mental resilience as we continue our journey towards Los Angeles in line with our preparation strategies."
Ollie Morgan, who had an outstanding AGB Championships winning all three backstroke events for the third consecutive time said: ‘It’s a massive honour to be selected to represent Great Britain at my first European Championships.
“After another successful Aquatics GB Championships I’m excited to step up in the summer and race the best in Europe, and give everything for some medal opportunities.”
Commenting on her first GB senior team Theodora Taylor said: “I’m really excited to be able to represent Great Britain at the European Championships this summer in Paris.
“As my first senior GB selection, I’m looking forward to competing against the best athletes in Europe and swim as part of a relay team.
“I hope to learn from the more experienced swimmers on the team as a junior myself, and gain more international experience.”
The Aquatics GB swimming team for the 2026 European Championships in Paris:
* Titles of Aquatics GB Performance Centres are shortened to 'Performance Centre' in this list
- Freya Colbert, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Lauren Cox, Manchester Performance Centre
- Angharad Evans, University of Stirling
- Joshua Gammon, Bath Performance Centre
- James Guy, Manchester Performance Centre
- Max Litchfield, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Keanna MacInnes, University of Stirling
- Edward Mildred, Manchester Performance Centre
- Oliver Morgan, University of Birmingham
- Filip Nowacki, Millfield
- Eva Okaro, Repton
- Adam Ramsay-Peaty, Repton
- Matt Richards, Manchester Performance Centre
- Duncan Scott, University of Stirling
- Amalie Smith, Royal Tunbridge Wells Monson
- Abbie Wood, Manchester Performance Centre
The above athletes are selected after winning an individual event at the 2026 AGB Swimming Championships that equals or betters the required standard as per clause 5.2 of the relevant selection policy
- Greg Butler, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Luke Greenbank, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Jacob Peters, Bath Performance Centre
- Emily Richards, Manchester Performance Centre
- Jack Skerry, Bath Performance Centre
- Theodora Taylor, Torfaen Dolphins
The above athletes are selected after finishing second in an individual event at the 2026 AGB Swimming Championships that equals or betters the required standard as per clause 5.3 of the relevant selection policy
- Freya Anderson, University of Stirling
- Evelyn Davis, University of Stirling
- Jack McMillan, University of Stirling
- Jacob Mills, Repton
- Leah Schlosshan, Manchester Performance Centre
- Gabriel Shepherd, City of Leeds
- Jacob Whittle, Repton
The above athletes are selected as part of relay combinations that equalled or bettered the required qualifying times, as per clause 5.5 of the selection policy.
- Alex Cohoon, Loughborough Performance Centre*
- Rio Daodu, Mt Kelly
- Tom Dean, University of Stirling*
- Evan Jones, Manchester Performance Centre
- Tyler Melbourne-Smith, Loughborough University
- Katie Shanahan, University of Stirling*
- Matthew Ward, Bath Performance Centre
The above athletes are selected at the discretion of the Performance Director and GB Head Coach. These selections are based on performances at the 2026 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships; providing relay alternates for athletes with busy schedules; prioritising European medal opportunities; and athletes that are on a trajectory to podium success at the LA 2028 Olympic Games, as per clause 5.7 of the selection policy.
*athletes' selected subject to completing fitness tests
The following coaches have been selected to support the team, under the guidance of Aquatics GB swimming Head Coach Steven Tigg:
- Lisa Bates, Chelsea & Westminster Swimming Club
- Laurel Bailey, Warrender Baths
- Scott Goadby, Loughborough Performance Centre
- David Hemmings, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Ben Higson, University of Stirling
- Ryan Livingstone, Manchester Performance Centre
- David McNulty, Bath Performance Centre