DIGGLE SWIMMING star Jess Lloyd is back in the pool and looking to make up for lost time with the start of the 2016 Olympic Games less than 300 days away.
The former Saddleworth School pupil was the second youngest member of Great Britain’s swimming squad at London 2012.
But she hasn’t competed this year after taking a six-month break from the sport.
And now the 20-year-old City of Manchester Aquatics freestyle specialist has her work cut out to qualify for next summer’s Games in Rio.
However, the British Olympic Trials are not until April at Glasgow’s Tollcross Pool where she won two relay medals as part of Team England’s 2014 Commonwealth Games squad.
The inaugural £10,000 ManchesterInternational meeting in her home pool on October 24 and 25 provides Lloyd with an opportunity to get back into shape and race fit.
“Jess is on the comeback trail,” confirmed coach Mark Rose. “But she just needed a break because she was fatigued mentally and physically.
“So, we are not putting any unrealistic expectations on her because you can’t take six months out and expect to be back where you were quickly.
“This is going to be her first hit out. You can put a time on a board with a stopwatch in training. But it’s different when you stand up there to race.
“Jess was fifth at the Olympics in 2012 (she was a member of the 4 x 100m relay team) so let’s see where she is on October 24. That will give us a marker to see where we are going this year.”
Many of Britain’s leading stars are heading for Manchester Aquatics Centre including 2015 world champions, Fran Halsall and Chris Walker-Hebborn plus double former world gold medallist, Liam Tancock.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased on Ticketmaster: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/venueartist/434179/2163372
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