Jessica gets GB chance

Photo: Anthony Miller

I DID IT . . . Jessica Lloyd shows off the bronze medal she won at the World Youth Swimming Championships in Peru.

Swimming: JESSICA Lloyd clinched a bronze medal at the World Youth Swimming Championships, earning a place in the Great Britain training squad ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

The 16-year-old battled rain and cold at the outdoor pool in Peru to help her team finish third in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay at the championships in August. She narrowly missed out on more silverware, finishing fifth in the 100m freestyle.

It came hot on the heels of gold in the 4x100 metre individual relay in the European Junior Championships in Belgrade, where she also bagged silver in 4x100m freestyle relay and bronze in 100m freestyle.

Next month she will train with the GB squad at the Olympics Village in London, with one eye on a possible call-up to the European Senior Championships in Poland at the end of the year.

Mum Ann said: “We are extremely proud of her, she is very dedicated.

“How she manages to do all her school work, training and everything else is amazing.”

Jessica, who swims for the City of Manchester Aquatics and Saddleworth, completed her GCSEs at Saddleworth School, gaining all A*s, As and Bs.

She will continue to fit in nine hours of weekday swimming sessions and Saturday morning practices despite starting her studies at Xaverian Sixth Form College, Manchester.

Ann added: “Training is extremely tiring. Jessica had to work hard and catch up on homework and coursework in her lunch breaks but Saddleworth School were fantastic.

“Jessica has been very competitive from a young age and swimming is what she loves to do.

“Training with the Great Britain squad down in London next month is going to be a fantastic experience for her.

“To be in the squad the year of the Olympics is amazing and hopefully she will get a place in the team.”