Millfield swimmers travel to Japan for the Aquatics World Championships

Millfield Performance Squad swimmers are travelling to compete in the World Aquatics Championships in Japan. 

Eight members of the Millfield Swimming Community will be taking part in the Championships, which are to be held in Fukuoka, Japan from 23-30 July.  

Performance Squad members Matthew Richards and Emily Large will be in action for Great Britain, supported by Millfield Head Coach Ryan Livingstone, who is part of the Team GB coaching staff. Other notable Old Millfieldians competing will be James Guy and Brodie Williams for Great Britain, Emma Harvey for Bermuda, Max McCusker for Ireland and Mia Phiri for Zambia.  

The newly formed Performance Squad at Millfield is designed for student athletes aspiring for podium success on the senior international stage, offering them the chance to utilise Millfield’s swimming, coaching and facilities. As part of the programme, Millfield offers a training base for a large group of athletes from across the UK aiming to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The performance group provides inspiration to the school’s developing student athletes, giving them the chance to see how the best in the world operate on a day-to-day basis.  

Upper Sixth Millfield student Alex Painter is looking to utilise this provision to fulfil his Olympic ambitions in 2024, before going on to further education. He said “Getting to train with the world’s best everyday allows you to truly see the skill and dedication required to compete at an elite level. It’s inspiring to be able to race on the same team as Olympic and World Championship athletes. Having them here is a testament to the coaching and facilities at Millfield.” 

Part of the requirements for athletes looking to access the Millfield Performance Squad is to act as mentors and role models for younger students, helping them to follow in their footsteps at Millfield and beyond. 

Millfield Director of Swimming, Euan Dale, said “Having this level of excellence in our programme is powerful development tool for our student and coaching body; we are so thankful for everyone who has made this happen. The development and commercial opportunities this brings is exciting. Millfield has always been renowned for excellence in aquatics, and we are looking forward to enhancing this legacy as we move to the Olympic Games in Paris and beyond."