SPORTING greats Karen Pickering and Sonia O'Sullivan joined other stars to launch the Great East Swim. In September thousands of swimmers are invited to swim a mile at Alton Water, near Ipswich.

SPORTING greats Karen Pickering and Sonia O'Sullivan joined other stars to launch the Great East Swim.

In September thousands of swimmers are invited to swim a mile at Alton Water, near Ipswich.

The event is open to swimmers of all abilities from those who have only ever swum for fun through to Olympic champions. Elite swimmers will head the race, with celebrities, club swimmers and fun swimmers following in their waves.

Ipswich swimmer Karen, who has won eight World Championship medals, and Sonia, former 5000m Olympic silver medallist, launched the event yesterday along with Mike Read, 1960 Olympian, Alan Bircher, World Championship open water medallist, and BBC sports commentator Stuart Storey will be the MC.

Karen said: “It's an opportunity for swimmers of all abilities to swim a mile.

“Some can do it for charity or you can just do it for yourself.”

The Great East Swim is part of the Great Swim, which will happen across the UK and follows the success of the Great North Swim last year in Windermere.

The entry limit for the Great East Swim on September 26 is 2000 people and entries are now open at www.greatswim.org.