DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist Michelle Smith will have an attractive supporting cast for next month's Leisureland international meet in Galway after it was revealed yesterday that Americans Gary Hall and Jon Olsen will be in the line up.
Hall, the fastest 50 metres freestyle long course competitor last year (22.27 seconds), had to be content with a silver medal behind Russian Alexander Popov in the Atlanta final. The 23 year old American sprinter proved a double silver medallist at last year's Olympic Games.
Jon Olsen, second to Popov (49.46) in last year's 100m rankings, struck gold with the US relay team in Atlanta. Also booked for Galway is Britain's Martin Harris. He will be trying for a double British record in the 50m backstroke and 100m IM.
Drug testing will take place at the event as Celia Millane, the IASA secretary, revealed: "The sports Council of Northern Ireland have conducted drug tested events held in Ulster but this is the first time that doping control procedures will have taken place in the Republic."
