The Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA) has reviewed its Team 2000 with Michelle de Bruin, formerly Michelle Smith, being the obvious choice to head the list. Of the 15 competitors confirmed for inclusion in a panel on which the team for the Sydney Olympics will ultimately be based, only four can expect to be nominated for the forthcoming World long-course championships in Perth from January 7th-18th 1998.
And only Smith can be certain of selection for Perth at this stage, although a quartet that could include Nick O'Hare and Adrian O'Connor is likely.
The team for 2000 is to be reviewed again on the evidence of results in the Leisureland international meet next March. Early interest in the Salthill event has already been indicated by Germany, Poland, Russia, England and the US.
For the present, the 2000 team is Michelle de Bruin, Niamh Cawley, Mary Corless, Chantal Gibney, Claire Hogan, Lee Kelleher, Graham Beegan, Mark Craig, Michael Giles, Colin Lowth, Paul McCarthy, Adrian O'Connor, Hugh O'Connor, Nick O'Hare and Michael Williamson.
Records are expected to tumble more readily during the world championships in Perth than was the case at the Atlanta Olympics.
This is the opinion of Australia's Atlanta golden girl Susan O'Neill who has been testing the speed of the pool at the 10,000seater Challenge Stadium in Perth. "It's fast, believe me," she said. This will be reassuring news for 1,500 competitors from more than 100 countries who will be bidding for glory at the eighth staging of the event.
Another observer ahead of these championships tells us that the tests will be: "bigger and better" than the 1991 world championships in Western Australia, the last time they hosted the event Down Under. "Then, 62 countries competed, 800 media personnel attended and there were seats for 6,500," confirmed Western Australia's sports minister Norman Moore. Meanwhile, national coach Ger Doyle has thanked the IASA for digging deep into it's financial resources and providing the teenage competitors with the opportunity of competing at the European championships in Seville.
He promises that the association will be amply rewarded by affording such recognition to the four younger members of the team of eight.
"I think the young ones have had their eyes opened in Seville and it's only a matter now of giving them time and the commitment from them will follow," said Doyle.
Sponsorship for these young aspirants such as Colin Lowth, Hugh O'Connor, Paul McCarthy and Chantal Gibney will be crucial over the next few months, especially for those looking towards Perth.
The short-course season, which, of necessity, the Irish home-based swimmers are subjected to for 12 months of the year, has officially reopened. There will probably be a suitable long-course meet in November to exercise Ireland's home-based talent in the run up to the Perth tests. Offers and options are being considered.
