SWIMMING: Irish teams travelling for international competition need all the encouragement they can muster, and it would appear that the squad in Berlin this week for the European senior championships has discovered an inspirational figure to fill the bill.
Dubliner Steven Manley, (19), who swims out of the Terenure College club, has just completed negotiations with the University of Kentucky for a five-year, full scholarship.
But of more immediate importance, the talented Manley has hit top form before joining the nine-strong Ireland team in Berlin.
Manley showed stunning form at last week's national championships in Lisburn, setting all sorts of records in the short course pool. By far his best moment arrived in the 100 metres freestyle when he became the first Irishman to go under 50 seconds with 49.45.
An indication of how Irish times have improved over the years is realised when considering that Donnacha O'Dea, Ireland's best-known swimmer of the 1960s and 1970s, became the first Irishman to swim 100 metres in under 60 seconds.
Manley also covered the 100 metres individual medley in a record 57.08, and smashed Ken Turner's 10-year record for the 200 metres freestyle.
Of this week's prospects, he says: "It's great to be part of such a large Irish team. We will be able to swim in the relays. We should bring home plenty of personal best times and maybe secure a couple of semi-final places, perhaps sneak a final place."
Meanwhile, Franziska van Almsick rid herself of her demons yesterday, sweeping away a decade of frustration and disappointment by anchoring the German relay team to a world record in Berlin.
The 24-year-old, who burst on to the scene as a teenager with silver and bronze medals at the 1992 Olympics, finally delivered on her promise by helping Germany's 100 metres freestyle relay team smash a world mark set two years ago by the United States.
"I got goose bumps - the atmosphere was overwhelming," said van Almsick of the frenzied home crowd after she and team-mate Sandra Voelker both swam their 100-metre legs well under world record time.
