SWIMMING: The response from European Swimming Federations to the idea of competing at another major event in Ireland has been "exceptional" since the unqualified success of the European short-course championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Abbottstown last month.
The Leisureland International event in Salthill next month is being targeted by numerous federations and individual competitors since the Abbottstown experience. In the event, funding to augment the support from the Irish Sports Council has become an urgent priority for Swim Ireland.
Despite long-course focus at this time of an Olympic year, it is now clear that record entries of quality competitors will be in short-course action in Salthill.
Long-course preparation for Athens at this stage is unlikely, however, to influence Britain's performance director Bill Sweetenham, a firm believer in making it as difficult as possible for his charges.
This spartan approach, he believes, can bring the best out in competition. His squad bagged 14 medals, half of them European gold at Abbottstown. Sweetenham emphasised on the final day: "My job here was to make it as difficult as possible for our athletes to swim well while at the same time lifting them up and pushing them on."
Ireland's silver medallist at Abbottstown, Andrew Bree, beaten into second place by Ian Edmond in the 200 metres breaststroke final, was obviously a victim of Sweetenham's unshaven, untapered and unrested methods. The ASA boss may persist with his "hardship" campaign and take a little time out from long-course training to compete at Salthill.
Edmond reflects on the Abbotstown experience: "Bill's policy is to be unshaved and unrested with no massages so to beat guys (including Bree) gives me a big plus ahead of the Olympics."
If Edmond joins the British party for Salthill immediate efforts will be made to include Tennessee-based Bree in Ireland's team for a European final rematch.
Britain's Mark Foster, the dual medal winner at Abbottstown, has already confirmed his entry for the Salthill event.
