Aquatics eye medal medley

Oldham Aquatics’ medal hopefuls

JESSICA Lloyd and Vicki Garlick will be heading Oldham Aquatics’ medal challenge at the ASA National Age Group Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, at the end of the month.

Thirteen-year-old Jessica is competing in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke in what will be her third national championships.

Equally busy will be Vicki (13), who takes part in her second nationals in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle and 100m individual medley races.

Vicki’s twin, Samantha, swims in the 200m breaststroke, while Francesca Chiappe (11) will be making her nationals debut in the 200m freestyle.

Oldham Aquatics also have three relay teams competing in Sheffield.

They are the 4x100m medley team of Vicki and Sam Garlick, Jessica Lloyd and Hannah Clegg, 4x100m freestyle of Vicki Garlick, Jessica Lloyd, Charlotte Ashworth and Jessica Fullalove and 4x200m freestyle four of Jessica Lloyd, Hannah Clegg, Charlotte Ashworth and Vicki Garlick.

The National Youth Championships are also being staged at Ponds Forge at the same time with Oldham Aquatics to the fore.

Ash Shipp competes in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle while brother Matt, making his debut in the nationals, swims in the 800m freestyle.

Blake Wilson competes in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 50m freestyle, Sam Strong in the 400, freestyle and George Harrington in the 100m butterfly.

Charlotte Goode, who swims in the 50m and 100m freestyle, has also been selected to compete in the ASA senior nationals at Liverpool in the 100m freestyle.

Aquatics head coach John Wroe paid tribute to the hard work of the swimmers, saying some train nine times a week.

He also cited the partnership Aquatics have with local clubs as being instrumental in the successes. Royton, Oldham, Saddleworth and Crompton all have swimmers representing the town in the nationals.