THE improvement in Irish swimming standards gained further recognition during the British Grand Prix series in Leicester at the weekend. Team coach Carole Walsh was pleased to acknowledge the general approval showered on her charges from all quarters.
Despite the good quality of the opposition, places in A and B finals, and victories in those finals, were claimed with convincing regularity.
Perhaps none of the Irish competitors gleaned as much personal satisfaction from the series as 100 metres breaststroke winner Michael Giles, the dedicated Coolmine swimmer who reached the qualifying mark for next month's European short course championships in Rostock in Germany.
Giles was the only one among the Irish contingent who shaved and tapered for the event. He trimmed his best time with 1:02.9 to book his ticket for Rostock along with Olympians Adrian O'Connor, Nick O'Hare, Hugh O'Connor and Daragh Sharkey.
Lisburn's Michael Williamson, a member of the Ulster squad who has just returned from a training camp in Malta, set a new Irish junior breaststroke record (66.6 seconds).
Nick O'Hare took third place in the 50 metre freestyle, but unlike Giles he had not shaved and tapered.
Chantal Gibney, Mary Corless and Paul McCarthy clinched respectable places in B deciders.
Lee Kelleher did not have a successful gala. Her isolation in the Millfield camp from her Irish colleagues could have been a factor. Significantly, she has requested to be allowed rejoin the Irish swimmers for the British ASA winter national tests in Sheffield from December 19th to the 22nd.
Plans for the multi nations meet in Salthill's Leisureland are well advanced. So far, teams from England, Scotland, Holland Sweden and Germany have confirmed their participation. The organisers are hoping that teams from nine nations will take part. The event will be the most technically advanced swimming gala to be staged here, and will cost an estimated £30,000. A team of computer experts from Switzerland are to install the equipment, which includes a nine column display board with compatible softwear linking up to touch pads and computers for general information updates for spectators.
Government grants have helped to ease the financial burden, but efforts are still being made to acquire an overall sponsor and sponsors for the various events.
Munster, meanwhile, stage their sprint competitions for seniors and juniors in Tralee this weekend.
