Games girls plan to step on the gas

JESSICA FULLALOVE

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Swimming: OLDHAM’S Commonwealth Games duo Jessica Lloyd and Jessica Fullalove are among the country’s top swimmers in Manchester from today to compete at the British Gas International Meet.

The five-day event is the last major meet before the eagerly-awaited Games and will include a host of

athletes who have been selected to represent their home nations in Glasgow.

London Olympian Lloyd (19), from Diggle, faces a hectic few days. She will swim in the 50 and 100m freestyle, the 100m backstroke and the 100m butterfly, asd well as the club and international relays.

She will be competing through the pain barrier today, though, following an accident in training when she dropped a 10kg plate on her foot.

“It really hurt at first but it’s fine now: I’ll be okay to swim,” she said. “It’s everyone’s final chance to get some serious competition in before the Commonwealth Games next month, so it’s a really important meet.

“There’s lots of little things I need to work on this week with my coach, then at the end of it we can focus purely on Glasgow. That’s approaching so fast now, and I can’t wait.”

Lloyd’s opening swim came in the 100m freestyle today.

Royton-based Fullalove (17) — who will be the youngest member of England’s Commonwealth Games team in Glasgow — goes in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events.