JESS Fullalove has enjoyed plenty of red-letter days in her swimming career but July 5 is not one of them.
Twice in successive years the Royton-born international suffered broken hands in training accidents on that date.
So, next month and 24 hours before the former Crompton House sixth former flies to Japan for a pre-World Championship training camp, she is desperate to avoid third time unlucky.
“It is my devil day,” laughed Jess recently returned from competing in the prestigious Mare Nostrum series, most recently in Barcelona. “If I can get past July 5, I should be okay.
“Hopefully, any obstacles are out of the way. I am not going to be swimming outside and I am going to be in a comfortable environment until we leave.”
Last year’s hand issue denied British 200 metres backstroke champion Jess chance to compete at the European Championships.
So, she’s desperate to take the plunge in South Korea (July 12-18) and stay on course for an Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.
Bath based Jess, 22, added: “I am really pleased I have made the team because it proves I am in that top one percent in Britain who are going to take on the best swimmers in the world.
“Looking forward I am hopefully in that one percent again to get to the Olympics which has been my dream since I was nine years old.
“I am excited by the prospects of the Worlds though I am not expecting anything amazing. I am going there with an open mind to do my best and hopefully make a final.
“That would mean I am in the top eight swimmers in the world which would be great.
“So, I am not setting myself any targets. I am seeing it as a stepping stone towards Tokyo and qualification for the Olympics next year.”
Jess, who also attended Thorp Primary on Westerdale Drive, finished seventh in the 100 and 200 metres backstroke in Barcelona.
“It was okay but not brilliant. But I am a bit apprehensive about swimming outside having had two injuries from doing that.
“I feel I held back a bit. But it wasn’t how I expected myself to swim at this point in the season.
“I would hope to have gone faster and had I been swimming inside there would have been a different outcome with my times. I know I am capable of much more than I actually did.”