Thorpe and Shortman to represent GB at World Champs

The pair, who both compete for the City of Bristol, will turn out for their country at the European Junior Championships in June, before stepping up to senior level a month later.

The European event will take place at the Tasmajdan Swim Centre in Belgrade from June 21-25, while the global competition comes towards the end of July in Hungary.

Shortman and Thorpe will be making their debut at the World Championships, and the former cannot wait to get started.

"It's so exciting to be competing alongside the best synchro swimmers in the world," she told British Swimming.

"We are really focused on working hard to step up to senior international competition and I feel we are getting stronger all the time."

Shortman will compete individually in the solo free swim, as well as teaming up with Thorpe in the duet free.

However, while it will just be the pair heading to Budapest, they will be part of a 12-strong team for the European juniors, and Swim England's synchronised swimming manager, Karen Thorpe, hopes it will be a valuable learning experience.

"We are really excited to be taking our Junior team to the European Juniors this summer," she said. "We will be competing in all the events, which will be great experience for the younger athletes.

"Europe is so strong for synchronised swimming that it will be great for the athletes to compete against the best in the world.

"As well as being a great opportunity, it will also give them something to aspire towards for the future."

Sportsbeat 2017