‘Home’ meet offers a chance to impress

Jessica Lloyd and Jessica Fullalove.

OLDHAM stars Jessica Lloyd and Jessica Fullalove will be among the country’s most promising swimmers who will be competing in Manchester later this month.

The city plays host to an international event ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games.

The Manchester International Swim Meet, which takes place between October 24-25, will feature a packed World Cup programme of events including breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, freestyle and relays.

Held at Manchester’s Aquatics Centre, Britain’s top swimmers will be hoping to put in a strong performance as they make their preparations for Rio 2016.

Alongside the established Olympic athletes — Lloyd featured in Team GB at London 2012 — the country’s most talented junior swimmers will also be hoping to impress, including Royton’s City of Manchester starlet Fullalove, who is relishing the chance to compete in her home city.

Fullalove has previously won gold at the World and European Junior Championships and silver at the Youth Olympics.

“I’m so excited about competing at the Manchester Aquatics Centre where my club is based,” said Fullalove, who made her senior showpiece event bow last year at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“I’ve represented the City of Manchester since I was 12 years old so I’m really familiar with the surroundings and can’t wait to take part in front of friends and family.”

The event is being hosted by the City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team and has a total prize pot of £10,000.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased via: www.ticket master.co.uk.