MICHELLE SMITH has decided to compete in four of the six events for which she had qualified at the Atlanta Olympics. Her decision, released yesterday. to confine her bid for glory to the 400 metres IM, 400 freestyle, 200 IM and 200 butterfly is particularly good news for Marion Madine, the Belfast law graduate who had been in some danger, since last weekend, of not getting a swim at the Games.

The order of events has finally influenced the Smith camp. By not going in the 100 metres butterfly and 200 metres freestyle, Smith leaves the door open for B standard qualifier Madine and gives herself important one-day breaks between events.

It is a very satisfactory arrangement all round Madine's hopes of competing on her forte butterfly stroke have been realised while Smith's realistic medal chances have been suitably enhanced by valuable breathing space between races.

To pull out of the 100 metres butterfly, though, is a decision by the Irish champion that could not have been taken lightly in consultation with her coach. It is generally accepted that but for a tactical error at the European championships in Vienna last August, this particular event would have given Smith a third gold medal. Her time in the heats on that occasion was faster than that achieved by the winner in the final.

Madine has also got a one-day interval between events, as has freestyler Earl McCarthy. Backstroker Adrian O'Connor of New Ross has a two-day rest. Nick O'Hare was always going to be unaffected by schedules as his bid is confined to one event, the 50 metres freestyle,

Swimming on freestyle in the Olympics was hardly a consideration for Smith a couple of months ago but her 4:08.23 in Florida last weekend, the fastest time recorded over 400 metres since 1992, and her earlier qualifying success at 200 metres in Dortrecht, changed all that.