A YOUNG City of Chester Swimming Club member is getting ready to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the sport at one of the main venues for the London Olympic Games.

Isobel Thwaite, 13, from Chester, will today take to the water in the Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park after qualifying for the British Championships.

The Catholic High School student will form part of a strong line-up in the women’s 200m backstroke.

Isobel is the only swimmer from a club based in the Cheshire West and Chester area to make it to the London event, which this year doubles as a qualifier for next year’s Olympics.

Isobel headed to the capital on the back of a record-breaking display at the Cheshire County Championships where she won 200m backstroke gold in a lifetime best time of 2:20.3mins.

City of Chester Swimming Club head coach Lee Holland said: “The fact that Issy will have the opportunity to race in the same pool that will be graced by the world’s best in six months time would be a huge deal to any aspiring athlete.

But at 13 years old this really does mark Isobel’s arrival as a future contender.”