Paralympic champions and rising stars headline Great Britain team for 2026 summer meets.
Aquatics GB is delighted to confirm a 23-strong initial para-swimming selection for the 2026 Dutch National Championships in July and World Para Swimming European Championships in September. The team so far features a host of Paralympic champions and rising stars fresh from outstanding performances at the recently concluded 2026 Aquatics GB Championships in London which included a plethora of British records and three World records
A busy summer will see athletes continue their journey toward the LA 2028 Paralympic Games with competition at the Dutch National Championships, which serves as the benchmark meet for 2026, a home Commonwealth Games in Glasgow for some athletes and the European Championships squad to be confirmed in the coming months once there is greater clarity on the 2028 Paralympic Games qualifying process.
Following the success of a new project, the team boasts a large number of visually impaired swimmers including senior international debutant Ursula Carroll.
Brooklyn Hale also makes her debut on an Aquatics GB senior team, which mixes youth and experience with the return of Stephen Clegg, as well as the likes of Alice Tai, Bethany Firth and Will Ellard.
The selection policy also allows for additional athletes to be added to the team on 10th May pending International Classification in France and Germany over the coming weeks. Any additional selections will be made in line with the performance objectives outlined in the policy.
Aquatics GB Para-Swimming Head Coach Rob Aubry said:
“The Aquatics GB Championships have put us in a very strong position as we look ahead to the Dutch Nationals and the European Championships in 2026. We set tough selections standard within our selection policy requiring athletes to deliver top‑level international performances at the AGB Championships to be considered. What we saw across the championships was exactly that, performances of real quality, depth and intent. These included world‑record‑breaking performances from Poppy Maskill, alongside world‑leading performances from Bethany Firth, who is now returning to full training while successfully balancing life as a professional athlete and a mother. Her journey and resilience are a powerful example for the squad and the wider sport.
“It has also been particularly exciting to see the Vision Impairment (VI) project now in full flow, with five vision‑impaired athletes qualifying for the team. This is a major step forward and reflects sustained work across classification, athlete developmentand targeted support. Over the coming season, we will continue to enhance this area with new innovations, supported further by additional backing from UK Sport.
“Equally important is the environment we are building within the team. It has been great to see our up‑and‑coming athletes being actively supported and mentored by senior figures such as Stephen Clegg, Bethany Firth, Brock Whiston, Alice Tai and Grace Harvey. Their experience, professionalism and knowledge play a vital role in shaping a culture that is both high‑performing and enjoyable, one where athletes are challenged, supported and inspired to push their limits.
“Overall, the championships have reinforced that the programme is moving in the right direction. There is clear momentum, and an emerging generation of athletes ready to step forward. As we look towards the Dutch Nationals and European Championships, the focus now is on supporting athletes individually, and ensuring we arrive prepared to perform on the international stage as we continue our journey towards LA.”
Adam Clarke, Para Programme Lead added:
“After last week’s Aquatics GB Championships where we saw a large number of British records and three stunning World records, we have a busy summer of racing to look forward to. With no World Championships this year our athletes will compete across domestic and European meets, with the Dutch National Championships in Eindhoven in July the 2026 benchmark meet for the team. Athletes will then compete at either the home Commonwealth Games in Glasgow or the AGB Next Generation Championships in Sheffield to round off their season. It is always exciting to welcome new athletes to the team, and I would like to congratulate Brooklyn Hale and Ursula Carroll on securing their first senior GBR team selection. We have selected 23 athletes so far, with the selection panel meeting in May to consider additional selections”.
Athletes selected to the GBR para swimming team for the 2026 Dutch National Championships and WPS European Championships.
Selections under clause 5.2
1. Poppy Maskill (S14) – Manchester Performance Centre
2. Will Ellard (S14) – Manchester Performance Centre
3. Faye Rogers (S10) – University of Edinburgh
The athletes above were pre-selected following their gold medal winning performances at the 2025 WPS World Championships in Singapore
Selections under clause 5.3
4. Alice Tai (S8) – Camden Swiss Cottage
5. Brock Whiston (S6) – Barking & Dagenham
6. Bethany Firth (S14) – Newcastle
7. Grace Harvey (S6) – University of Aberdeen
8. Stephen Clegg (S12) – University of Edinburgh
9. Iona Winnifrith (S7) – Tonbridge
10. Ela Letton-Jones (S12) – Manchester Performance Centre
11. Olivia Newman-Baronius (S14) – Maxwell
12. Mark Tompsett (S14) – Manchester Performance Centre
13. Georgia Sheffield (S14) – Manchester Performance Centre
14. Bruce Dee (S6) – Manchester Performance Centre
15. Callie-Ann Warrington (S10) – Hackney Anaconda
16. Rhys Darbey (S14) – Wrexham
17. Scarlett Humphrey (S11) – Lougborough University
18. Ursula Carroll (S13) – Stockport Metro
19. Dylan Broom - (S14) – University of Swansea
The athletes above were selected following achievement of the AGB qualifying times in LA 2028 Paralympic events
Selections under 5.4
20. Harry Stewart (S14) – Manchester Performance Centre
21. Brooklyn Hale (S10) – Cockermouth
22. Sam Downie (S8) – University of Stirling
23. Astrid Carroll (S12) – Stockport Metro
The athletes above were selected at the discretion of the panel in consideration to the stated performance objectives