LEE KELLEHER, Ireland's most exciting young prospect for Olympic gold in Sydney, is to end her association with Millfield College in England this summer. The Cork girl has been benefiting from the state of the art facilities at the elite school since the beginning of term last autumn.
Kelleher's improvement on all four disciplines since sampling Millfield's comprehensive coaching regime has enhanced her status in world under aged competition. The cost involved in continuing at Millfield, estimated yesterday in excess of £10,000 a year by her father, Ciarain, is the primary factor for his daughter's return to Cork, where pool time is becoming increasingly restrictive.
She will resume her shooting at St Peter's Community School and rejoin her City of Cork SC colleagues for short course training in the city. The switch from training at a long course facility is not expected to have any appreciable negative effect for the young Cork star.
The opening of a new short course pool in Bishopstown this month will ease the worsening pressure on pool time in the Munster capital.
Meanwhile, Ireland's fastest swimmer, Olympian Nick O'Hare, has appealed for a sponsor to carry him through a financially pinching schedule ahead. O'Hare is well on target for the European championship in Seville next August. "It will be difficult without a sponsor," says the City of Dublin University student, who puts intensive, long course preparation at the top of his list.
Defining features of his short course campaign were record breaking swims at 50 metres (22.77) and 100 metres (50.02) in recent world cup (short course meets).
A qualifying time for Seville is not of immediate concern. Long course targets of 23.56 and 51.06 are well within his compass at this stage, and could even be realised in two week in Leeds at the British grand prix.
Training camps in Phoenix Arizona, or California are likely destinations for the Dubliner this summer. For Atlanta he prepared in Phoenix under the guidance of Troy Dalbey.
