Medal hunt

JESSICA LLOYD will again be on the medal trail in this month’s ASA National Age Group and National Youth Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

Fourteen-year-old Jessica, a member of the Oldham Aquatics team, picked up two individual medals in last year’s event.

This will be the Saddleworth ASC swimmers’ fourth nationals and she is one of 10 Oldham Aquatics swimmers in action. She competes in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle along with the 100m and 200m backstroke.

Vicky Garlick (Royton ASC) will be making her third appearance in the nationals and the 15-year-old competes in the 100m, 200m, 400m 800m and 1,500m freestyle.

Sophie Kenney (Oldham ASC) has qualified for the 15-years 200m butterfly.

Sixteen-year-old Blake Wilson (Oldham ASC) competes in the 100m and 200m breaststroke while 17-year-olds Matthew Shipp and George Harrington (both Saddleworth ASC) compete in the 800m freestyle and 100m butterfly respectively.

Jessica Fullalove has a hectic schedule in the National Age Group Championships having qualified to compete in seven individual events as well as two relays.

Jessica, who also swims for Oldham ASC, swims in the 12-years 100m and 200m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, 100m butterfly along with the 200m and 400m individual medleys.

She will also contest the 11/13 years 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m freestyle relays along with Francesca Chiappe, Olivia Askew and Rhiannon Prestage.

Though this will be Jessica’s second nationals, it will be her first in individual events.

Francesca (Royton ASC) also competes in the same age group in the 100m and 200m freestyle.

Making her debut at the nationals will be 11-year-old Olivia (Oldham ASC) who also has a busy time as she swims in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle along with the 200m and 400m individual medleys.

Rhiannon (Oldham ASC) has qualified for the 13-years 100m freestyle.

Aquatics head coach John Wroe paid tribute to his swimmers saying: “It has been a great season and to have 10 swimmers representing the town in this prestigious competition shows the improvements we have made.

“The swimmers are well prepared for the challenges ahead and hopefully we will have an exciting couple of weeks of swimming.”

* Aquatics swimmer 13-year-old Hannah Clegg (Oldham ASC) has been selected to compete in next month’s Modern Pentathlon Championships at Crystal Palace.