It will be a case of Ireland's gain being the University of Bath's loss at this week's British grand prix swimming series in Swansea. Niamh Cawley from Mayo has made a sparkling return to form to reclaim her Team 2000 place. She has dipped under the required 2:15.55 for 200 metres backstroke. Cawley's inclusion, confirmed yesterday by Waterford-based team manager Don Mahon, along with that of her Bath colleague Emma Robinson from Bangor, tops up Ireland's official representation to 11.

Neither Cawley nor Robinson had a problem with not declaring for their university team. The swimmers were in Bath as there is no 50-metre pool in Ireland. John Paul Williamson of Waterford Crystal just failed to make the 2000 freestyle "cut" by 0.009 seconds. The 19-year-old's form and his commitment - he trains for six hours a day - makes it incumbent on his club to ensure that he is not denied his chance in the three-day event, which takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week.

Williamson's pedigree in the sport is beyond question. He is a first cousin of former Irish Olympian Kevin, who took over at Terenure College Swimming Club in succession to his late father and national coach Larry. The dedicated teenager has taken up a part-time job at Jurys Hotel in Waterford where he has pool facilities. He does his early morning and evening training in the glass factory pool.

The Irish squad, all members of Team 2000, will be facing stiff opposition from competitors from Leeds, Bath and Manchester particularly.

The Ireland management is completed by coaches Carol Walsh and Brian O'Donnell. A confident Mahon said: "I would not be surprised to see most of the team make finals of some sort. Emma Robinson and Andrew Reid especially are likely to make light work of the early season circumstances."

Olympic champions Alexander Popov of Russia and Penny Heyns of South Africa will lead a cast of internationals to contest World Cup competitions in Australia in January.

With next year's Sydney Olympic Games looming large on the horizon around 200 swimmers from 15 countries are expected to compete in the Australian legs of the World Cup series, in Hobart on January 13th-14th and Sydney on January 17th-18th.

The Sydney meeting will be held in the pool to be used for next year's Olympic Games.

Popov will be joined by breaststroke champion Heyns and American backstroke world record-holder Lenny Krayzelburg.

Swimmers from Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Britain, Brazil and New Zealand have also entered.