The IASA will be attempting to secure a place for an Ireland freestyle relay team in the draw at the World Championships in Perth starting on Monday week.
But National Coach Ger Doyle does not hold out much hope of being allowed an entry "at this late date".
A change in personnel in the four-strong Irish swimming team is the reason for the lateness of the application for entry to the relay event. Michelle de Bruin's enforced withdrawal due to injury last week meant that Hugh O'Connor of New Ross was called up, changing the gender balance of the team. Now the Irish team consists of the required four male swimmers for an Irish relay team. "It would be nice to swim it. We might still very well get in, but I doubt it myself. They (FINA) are sticklers in these matters, remember Michelle in Atlanta. The fact that we wouldn't be in contention for a medal would also militate against our chances of getting in," said Doyle.
Should they be allowed to compete, Doyle would still not be in a position to name the best Irish 4x100 metres freestyle team available. Colin Lowth would be more suited to a 200-metre leg, rather than a 100, while Nick O'Hare would be only suited to the shorter distances.
Regarding a medley relay entry Doyle said: "I am afraid we would have to forget about it. We will have no breaststroker with us.
"The difficulty again would be that you could be totally blown out of the water. This would be no big problem for me, but the consequences could be really disheartening for the swimmers.
"There again, you never know with relays. Sometimes the strong countries put in weak teams in the mornings. For example, you would never see Alexander Popov swim in the heats. In such circumstances, you would be hoping for your team to pull out a decent swim and who knows, you could nip into a final," he said. Doyle travels to Australia with his New Ross charges, brothers Adrian and Hugh O'Connor, Cormorants' Colin Lowth and manager Pat O'Donovan on New Year's Day.
Nick O'Hare, who trains on his own since parting company with his coach at Coolmine, did not interrupt his training routine on Christmas Day and left for Sydney on St Stephen's Day.
O'Hare decided to leave ahead of the rest of the team to acquire a special pre-championship week of warm-up training under the supervision of Graham Brewer, the former Australian Olympic medallist.
Meanwhile, there is a busy schedule on the domestic front during January.
On Saturday week, the Senior Schools' Championships (in Tuam), the Ulster Schools' (in Belfast) and the Grade C tests (in Limerick) are down for decision. The Leinster graded meeting will be staged over two days on January 10th and 11th. The day before the World Championships finish on January 18th, the Coca Cola 100s are listed for Belfast, while the Aer Lingus B Grade tests are to be decided on January 24th and 25th.
