Swimming News: Munster and Irish swimming received a real boost at the weekend when a 12-year-old member of the Sunday's Well club broke the one minute barrier for the 100 metres freestyle. Pat Roche reports.

The occasion was the Munster A gala at the Mayfield Sports Centre on Sunday as Paul Laffan touched the wall in a time of 59.6 seconds.

Laffan was described by national coach Ger Doyle yesterday as a strong and tall competitor for his age. "It's a fantastic achievement, " said Doyle. "But I cannot verify if Paul is the first 12-year-old in Ireland to break the minute. If I said he is the first, you could have people from elsewhere claiming otherwise.

"The Leinster, Ulster and Connacht councils do not keep age group records because it would be too complicated or whatever," he added.

Back in the late 1960s Ireland's best swimmer was Donnacha O'Dea and he is adjudged to have been the first Irish competitor to break the minute mark as a 15-year-old.

Earlier still, Paddy Kavanagh of Sandycove is understood to have broken the minute mark in the chilly waters of the 50-yard Blackrock Baths in Dublin.

Nontheless it seems that Laffan can rightly claim the distinction of being the youngest ever sub-minute Irish prospect.

And he did it the hard way from an outside lane.

The youngster had earlier given an indication of his potential at another gala in November by breaking three Munster records, including the long standing 200 metres freestyle standard.

Applications, meanwhile, for the Swim Ireland post of high performance director have been received and the process of filling the position begins next week.