Swimming
Our Partnership with Winchester City Swimming Club
At the heart of our elite swimming programme is a unique partnership between the University of Winchester and Winchester City Swimming Club. This collaboration gives student-athletes the chance to pursue a world-class education while training and competing as part of one of the South’s most established performance swimming clubs. Through this partnership, selected students are placed directly into the Club’s Senior Performance Squad or Senior Competitive Squad at a heavily discounted rate, integrating them fully into the club’s high-performance training environment.
With access to the 50m pool at Winchester Sport & Leisure Park, sport science expertise, strength and conditioning support, sport therapy, and psychology provision, student-athletes benefit from a holistic development programme designed to maximise both academic and athletic potential. Regular joint reviews between the University and the Club ensure that each swimmer receives tailored support, with progression measured across technical, academic, and behavioural standards. This close integration between education and elite sport makes the programme a true dual-pathway opportunity, where ambition in the pool and in the classroom can be pursued side by side.
What you’ll get as an elite swimmer in the Senior Performance Squad:
The Senior Performance programme supports swimmers in maximising their potential through tailored training, education, and a high-performance environment. It is designed for athletes who have already achieved English to British National qualification, with a focus on enhancing performance at key national events, including the British Championships and Summer Nationals. Senior Performance swimmers will get:
• Up to 9 weekly sessions, combining long course (50m) and short course (25m) pool training.
• 17.5 hours of structured weekly training, including 7.5 hours long course and 10 hours short course.
• 2 hours of land-based training each week to support strength, mobility, and injury prevention.
• Access to high-quality training facilities at Winchester Sport & Leisure Park.
• All sessions are delivered by highly experienced performance coaches.
• Free access to Sport Therapy Clinic
• Free access to Strength and Conditioning sessions, with multiple weekly workouts overseen by fully qualified S&C coaches.
• Free access to the university gym
• Physiological performance testing conducted pre-, mid-, and post-season in the university’s physiology laboratory.
• Academic and lifestyle support through Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) Dual Career programme
Monthly Training Fee: £100
What you’ll get as an elite swimmer in the Senior Competitive Squad:
The Senior Competitive Pathway is designed to provide swimmers with maximum flexibility and opportunity to compete while balancing other sports, activities, or study commitments. Its primary aim is to support qualification for the Hampshire County Swimming Championships, with progression to South East Regional Championships as a realistic and encouraged goal. This programme is particularly suited to multi-sport athletes and university students seeking to maintain a high standard of competitive swimming alongside their wider pursuits. Senior Competitive swimmers will get:
• Up to 7 weekly sessions, combining long course (50m) and short course (25m) pool training.
• 10.5 hours of structured weekly training, including 2 hours long course and 8.5 hours short course.
• 1 hour of land-based training each week to support strength, mobility, and injury prevention.
• Access to high-quality training facilities at Winchester Sport & Leisure Park.
• All sessions are delivered by highly experienced performance coaches.
• Free access to Sport Therapy Clinic
• Free access to Strength and Conditioning sessions, with multiple weekly workouts overseen by fully qualified S&C coaches.
• Free access to the university gym
• Physiological performance testing conducted pre-, mid-, and post-season in the university’s physiology laboratory.
• Academic and lifestyle support through Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) Dual Career programme
Monthly Training Fee: £77
Eligibility Criteria to Become an Elite Swimmer
Senior Performance Squad
• Minimum entry requirement: English National (or above) qualifier achieved in the previous swimming season.
• Attendance: Ability to attend at least 75% of sessions across the swimming season.
• Competition commitments (minimum): Hampshire County Championships; Swim South East Regional Championships; Summer Nationals; and represent the club at major events when invited.
• Swim 18 X 100m FC swim and rest 1.25
Senior Competitive Squad
• Minimum entry requirement: County-level qualifier (or above) achieved in the previous swimming season.
• Attendance: Ability to attend at least 70% of scheduled sessions across the season.
• Competition commitment (minimum): Hampshire County Swimming Championships.
• Swim 12 X 100m FC swim and rest 1.35
All swimmers must also demonstrate the following:
Attitude
• Maintain a positive, can-do attitude at all times.
• Set high but achievable goals for each swimming season.
• Show a strong level of self-motivation and commitment.
• Manage emotions effectively, especially during challenging sessions or competitions.
• Engage and communicate effectively with coaches and teammates during training.
Application
• Follow all coach instructions carefully and consistently.
• Always try your best and demonstrate applied effort in every session.
• Perform the fundamentals correctly — including starts, turns, finishes, push-offs, technique, breathing patterns, and drills.
• Arrive prepared with the correct equipment for every session.
• Punctuality and time management are key expectations of the programme and valuable life skills.
• Be on poolside at least 10 minutes before each session, completing your pre-pool routine, mobility, and dynamic stretching.
Attendance
• Aim to attend all sessions specified in the programme unless absence has been agreed with the lead coach.
• Maintain a minimum attendance rate of 75% across the swimming season to retain your place in the programme.
• Attendance will be monitored continuously, with reviews every three months.
• If you are unable to attend, you must inform your coach prior to the start of that session.
To find out more about the Swimming Elite Sport Programme, email us at elitesport@winchester.ac.uk