Dual world record holder Leisel Jones will return to her former hometown of Brisbane this weekend to begin her campaign for gold at next year’s Beijing Olympic Games.

Alongside fellow World champions Libby Lenton and Jessicah Schipper, Jones will headline the season’s first Telstra Grand Prix at the newly renamed Brisbane Aquatic Centre at the Sleeman Sports Complex, Chandler.

The meet takes on extra significance for all competitors with heats being swum on Friday and Saturday nights before finals are contested on Saturday and Sunday mornings to simulate the program changes for the Beijing showpiece.

Jones has entered the 50 and 100 metre breaststroke events in her first race appearance since moving to Melbourne to train under astute mentor Rohan Taylor last month.

It is ironic that Jones will begin her racing program back in Brisbane, a city where she trained for many years under Ken Wood and then Stephan Widmer, amassing a resume that includes five Olympic medals and seven World titles.

The 21-year-old, who has only been back in the pool for a month following a post World Championships break, says she is excited about returning “home” to Brisbane and looking forward to see how she performs at this early stage of her preparations for Beijing.

“I am happy to be returning to Brisbane and I think my mum is pretty excited that I’m coming back,” Jones said.

“I enjoy racing at this pool because it’s always where home was and I love racing back there although it will be interesting to see how I go after having three weeks off and being back in the pool for only four.

“Things are going really well and we are just getting back into full on training now and doing as many sessions as we do and it’s been really good and I’m finding more strength every day.

“I am loving going training and just getting in the water and doing the hard yards. Jones said she is also keen to take on the morning finals format.

“The morning finals should be interesting and good practice that will give us a chance to a go at it and test the waters,” Jones said.

In both the breaststroke sprints Jones will come up against fellow World Championships breaststrokers Tarnee White and Sally Foster, new training partner Sarah Katsoulis and world 50m record holder Jade Edmistone.

Lenton and Schipper are set to renew their 100m butterfly battle that has witnessed the Brisbane based pair finish one-two at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships and 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The most recent clash, a maiden victory for Lenton, was the thrilling highlight of the second night of the Melbourne World Championships, but the duo will not have things all their own way this week.

Also entered is Olympic relay gold medallist Alice Mills and World Championship team members Felicity Galvez, Danni Miatke, Lara Davenport and Stephanie Rice.

Lenton will also take on World Championship 4x100m freestyle relay team mates Jodie Henry and Melanie Schlanger in both the 50 and 100m freestyle events.

Another highlight on the program will be the men’s 200m freestyle featuring all five of swimmers that helped a rejuvenated Dolphins team to the silver medal in the 4x200m freestyle at the World Championships.

Anchored by teenage sensation Kenrick Monk, the Australians overcame their critics to storm home over the top of more fancied rivals Canada, Great Britain and Italy.

Monk will be joined in Brisbane by team mates Patrick Murphy, Andrew Mewing, Grant Brits and heat swimmer Nick Ffrost.

The meet will also feature four other Australians who won gold at the World Championships including Eamon Sullivan, Brenton Rickard, Andrew Lauterstein and Shayne Reese.

All but seven of the Telstra Dolphins 42-member team that contested March’s FINA World Championships in Melbourne have entered the Grand Prix before the nation’s top 140 swimmers begin a week long National Event Camp on Monday, that will also be used to simulate the Olympic program changes.

The Grand Prix will be open free to spectators.

Swimming Australia