BOLTON'S only hope of a medal takes the plunge tomorrow in the Commonwealth Games swimming trials.

Egerton's Anthony Howard picked up a bronze medal in Kuala Lumpur four years ago as a member of the 4x100m freestyle relay team but now wants to end his career on a high note by winning the individual prize.

The 22-year-old former Turton High School pupil's best event is the 100m freestyle but has also entered the 200m and 50m events.

It leaves him with a heavy workload and the possibility of racing on five successive days, but Howard is more than confident he can handle the physical and mental pressures and says the programme of events can work in his favour.

"The 200 is a bit of a long-shot really as I will be concentrating more on the other two, particularly the 100," he admitted. "It is ideal as the 200 comes the day before the 100. If anything it works in my favour. It is an exertion but it is race practice and it will help me acclimatise to the pool and race conditions. I would still like to get into the final of the 200 because then it is wide open."

The fact that he is at the trials at all says something for his resolve and determination to compete in front of his home crowd.

Howard's hopes were dashed when a lack of funding meant he could not devote himself to full-time training and that appeared the root cause of a split with his long-time coach Dave Evitts.

Howard, who competed in the relay at the Sydney Olympics where the GB team finished ninth, was handed an 11th hour lifeline when a Bolton charity stepped in and he has been able to commit himself fully for the past couple of months.

"I feel fine and hopefully I have done enough to get me in," he added. "I have not had the benefit of having someone on poolside but I feel fit and healthy. I have been able to do my training and will give it my best shot.

"My aim is to get into the first three but obviously they will take the first four for the relay if they meet the qualifying times. They might take one or two more as reserve. If the first three do the qualifying times they will be selected for the individual event and that is my priority.

"There is not a lot in it among the top swimmers. Nobody has done a particular time that has concerened me. It is all about the races. It is a big trial and some people don't compete as well, but I know what to expect."

The trials started today at the new Commoinwealth Games pool in Manchester and are being used as a dress rehearsal for the main event in July.

Howard's timetable is Thursday: 200m heats and final. Friday: 100m heats and semis. Saturday: 100m final. Sunday: 50m heats and semis. Monday: 50m final.

He is a member of Horwich Leisure Centre SC and will be joined at the trials by two clubmates Ben Johnson and Lucy Finn, but the promising duo will represent the Bolton Metro Swim Squad. Johnson goes in today's 200m butterfly heats with Finn in Friday's 800m freestyle event.