TEENAGE swimming sensation Joanne Jackson will be following her sister's example when she jets off for her first major international competition.

Schoolgirl Joanne, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, has been selected for the 32-strong British squad to compete in the Fina World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, Spain, later this month.

Her older sister, Nicola, competed in the last championships in Japan in 2001 and won a gold medal as part of the women's 4 x 200m freestyle relay team.

Joanne said: "It is a little bit daunting, because everyone is expecting me to do what Nicola is doing but it is quite exciting at the same time.

"This is my first major competition and it should be a good experience. I won't be setting any targets this time, just getting a taste of what it is all about before the Olympics next year."

She will compete as part of the 4 x 200m freestyle relay team. At 17, she is the youngest member of the squad and the sole representative from the North-East.

Joanne, 16, gained selection at the recent British National Championships, where she finished second in the 400m freestyle.

She produced a time that ranks her in the top 20 in the world, despite the pressure of being in the middle of her GCSE exams at the time.

The teenager trains with her sister as part of Derwentside Amateur Swimming Club at Belle Vue swimming pool in Consett, County Durham, with coach and swimming development officer David McNulty.

He said: "She will learn a lot from this, so next year she won't be overawed by the Olympics."

Joanne, a pupil at Richmond School, flies out for training with the team this weekend. The tournament starts on Sunday, July 20.