The Jackson sisters, Nicola, 16, and Joanne, 14, from Richmond, have both been called up for top level training camps, writes ERIC WILKINSON.

Nicola, a British team member at the Sydney Olympic Games, is one of Britain's six most promising girls selected by the new director of swimming, Australian, Bill Sweetenham, to travel to the Australian Gold Coast at the end of the month for seven weeks long course training.

Joanne, a national age group and English Schools champion, who gains her first international recognition in the English team for the annual home countries schools' international against Scotland, Ireland and Wales in Wrexham on March 24, goes to Manchester next month for three days training with the new GB youth coaching director, John Anderson, as part of Britain's world-class potential programme, the aim of which is to support elite junior swimmers (12-16 years) who show potential to medal or reach finals at major events in the next eight years. Also selected is Tara Johnson (Chester-le-Street).

The NE counties ASA's centennial annual meeting takes place at the Darlington Arts Centre on Saturday (10.30am). This is the first time it has been held outside of Yorkshire.

Derek Hatton (Gateshead) will relinquish the presidency when he hands the chain of office to his successor, Joe Emerson (Leeds), father of former butterfly international David.

Among those who will continue in office are Brian Eeles (Consett) chairman; Verity Dobbie (Gateshead) legal adviser and the following committee secretaries, Ray Gordon (Newcastle) championships; Roy MacAlister (Tynedale) Masters; Alan Capstick (South Tyneside) education. There are 12 nominations for the eight places on the executive committee.

The committee is proposing a pilot scheme operates this year with the objective of streamlining the administration structure.

Sedgefield led throughout to comfortably win a first-round group fixture 8-3 in the ASA's youth (U-17) mixed water polo championship at Rotherham. The top scorer was Mark Jones (4), Robert Smith, Adam Barton, Oliver Metcalfe and Angie Winstanley Smith got one each. Ian Storey had an excellent game in goal.

Sedgefield's next fixture is against Manchester at Catterick Camp on February 4.

On Sunday, Sedgefield had two Northern League women's fixtures at Manchester where they lost 11-3 to Liverpool and beat Manchester B by the same score.