SOME of the highest quality swimming will be on show on Sunday when Bolton Metro Swimming Squad (BMSS) stage their main gala.

The elite swimmers in the town will be competing at Bolton One where Olympic swimmer Liam Tancock is expected to attend as a guest.

BMSS are a small squad who have punched above their weight in national competition for many years.

They hold their own in the highest-ranking competitions against the big clubs such as City of Manchester and feature Bolton swimmers who generally progress into the squad from the town's swimming clubs.

Of the BMSS's impressive quality and success, coach Ric Howard said: "We are a growing squad and our swimmers are gaining success at every level.

"Eighty-four per cent of our swimmers gained a county qualifying time last season, where we finished in second place at age group level in terms of medals, which shows we have a very bright future ahead of us.

"We had more than 60 per cent of swimmers make a regional time last year, with many of these making finals and winning medals across the board.

"This success continued with eight swimmers reaching national level where they competed against the very best in the UK and England.

"Jake Reynolds achieved seven national times, reaching finals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley and winning bronze in the 400m individual medley.

"Adam Akik swam at his first nationals in the 50m butterfly and reached the final.

"Tom Duxbury swam in two events at the nationals – 100m and 200m backstroke – and was joined in the 200m backstroke by Gabe Taylor-Rimmer.

"Georgia Ashton also competed in the 100m and 200m backstroke, making the final in the 100m, and Georgia Heath and Abbie Brennand both qualified for the 3,000m open water event.

"Para swimmer Luke Batty had great success last season, winning several national titles and also competed in the open-age, multi-category summer national event where he made two finals in the 400m front crawl and 100m backstroke."