Warrender teenager Craig Hamilton will join Olympic silver medallist Keri-Anne Payne in a seven-strong British Gas Open Water team at the FINA World Championships in Rome next month.

The Open Water competition will take place from 19 – 22 July 2009 in the sea off Ostia. The Championships will feature a strong British Gas team who all qualified at the recent LEN Open Water Cup event in Israel.

Hamilton, the Scottish No.1 in distance freestyle, made his open water debut in Israel and came a very impressive fifth in the 10K event.

Led by British Swimming Open Water Performance Manager Mark Perry, the British Gas team will head to Rome team to build experience and test themselves against the world’s best. 

It is a valuable opportunity for many of the younger swimmers, Hamilton included, to grow as international swimmers and start to make claims for places in Team GB for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
 
“We got a lot out of the LEN Open Water Cup in Israel: We took a few new swimmers out of the pool and tested them, and found that they have an aptitude for Open Water,” explained Perry.
 
“We’re mainly going to the World Championships for the experience – everything now is about building a team and working toward London 2012 which is our main goal.”
 
With the aim of building an Olympic team, Perry was pleased to note the young talent on display “There are definitely a number of great young athletes on the team, including Craig. Rome will be a chance to compete on an even bigger stage.”
  
 
The British Gas Open Water team:
 Men:
Richard Charlesworth (Hatfield) – 5km
Daniel Fogg (Borough of Waltham Forrest)  - 10km
Craig Hamilton (Warrender) – 10km
Alfie Howes (City of Cardiff) – 5km
 
Women
Keri-Anne Payne (Stockport Metro) – 10km
Charlotte Wooliscroft (Shiverers) – 5km
Katy Whitfield (Stockport Metro) – 5km and 10km