Two-time Olympic finalist Max Litchfield of Great Britain missed this year’s World Championships in Budapest but had his sights set on the Commonwealth Games slated for Birmingham at the end of this month.
However, as we previously reported, the IM ace stated on social media on July 13th that he would be dropping out of Birmingham for personal reasons.
Now one week later, Litchfield announced via social media he would be heading to Irvine, California to race at this year’s U.S. Nationals.
“Excited to be heading out to Irvine, CA next week for US Nationals. I have sacrificed too much and devoted too much emotional and physical energy this year to simply give up.
After being denied an opportunity to compete at this years Commonwealth Games I had to make new plans and the obvious decision was to compete out in 🇺🇸 Heading out tomorrow and looking forward to a slightly different challenge across the pond.”
Although psych sheets have yet to be published for U.S. Nationals, it’s likely Litchfield will race his bread-and-butter 400m IM event, the race in which he finished in 4th place both in Rio and Tokyo. He most likely would also enter the 200m IM and the 400m free.
Litchfield last raced at this past April’s South African Championships, as the former Loughborough man had been training in that nation with fellow Olympian Chad Le Clos.
At those championships, Litchfield clocked a time of 3:51.37 in the 400m free, 1:49.49 in the 200m free, 4:15.39 in the 400m IM, 2:02.03 in the 200m IM and 1:57.66 in the 200m fly.
So he’s on the British Swimming blacklist because they think they don’t need him now that they have Scott and Dean in the medley. Not the first time they have decided they don’t need someone and denied them opportunities despite them winning trials / being pre-selected.
Someone else in the comments suggest that there may be an allegation against him. While that could be a very serious situation if the allegation is not made public it can’t be defended and should have on bearing on his eligability to swim events he is qualified for.
Could have to do with vaccine requirements?
Nah. He’s already in England the the British gov gave up caring about Covid a year ago
All British athletes had to be vaccinated to go to tokyo and he went so it’s not that
and I thought I was confused when some countries/swimmers focused on the Commonwealth Games instead of the Worlds. What’s next, San Diego D2 CIF?
Why is swimming the only sport where non of the athletes want to talk about anything at all!? Just say what’s going on!
Just using US nationals as an excuse to make a trip to Disneyland.
Uh oh what the hell has he done
Johnston vs Litchfield?
This is part of his quote: “After being denied an opportunity to compete at this years Commonwealth Games”
Does anyone at Swimswam know what he means by “being denied”?