BOLTON swimmer Anthony Howard has been given a Commonwealth Games bonus with his selection for the individual 100 metre freestyle event.

The 22-year-old from Egerton had qualified for England's 4x100m freestyle relay team but impressed so much in the pre-Games training camp that he was handed the vacant third place in the individuals.

"I am so pleased that I can stand up on my own and compete for the first time at a major event," said Howard. "I am under no illusions how tough it will be but I will try my best in the heats and semi and hopefully that will get me to the final. It is a great honour and a great chance for me and I am certainly going to take it.

"The atmosphere at the Games is fantastic and the facilities are just as good as the Sydney Olympics. When the England team was announced at the opening ceremony the place erupted. To have home advantage is massive and I am going to use that as much as I can."

Howard, who won the bronze medal with the relay team four years ago in Kuala Lumpur, is in action in the relay heats and relay tomorrow with the indviduals heats and semi on Thursday and the final Friday.

Golden hope -P35