ROWING: Tim Harnedy, a silver medallist at the World Championships last year in the lightweight four, will miss this weekend's national trials and may not be able to compete for Ireland this year.
The 23-year-old Skibbereen man, who was outstanding last season, is on crutches after an operation last week on his left ankle. He sustained the injury before Christmas but continued to row and compete in trials before opting to have the operation rather than damage his long-term prospects.
The door is being left open for his re-entry to the international set-up, but he does not know whether he will be available for the season, which begins in five weeks' time with the first World Cup in Munich.
"It depends on how the rehabilitation goes," he said.
Meanwhile, two Irishmen hoping to win a place in the British squad for the season yesterday won their classes at the British trials in Belgium.
Alan Campbell won the single scull and James Lindsay-Fynn, who took a bronze medal for Ireland at the World Championships in 1999, won the lightweight single scull.
