Swim Ireland has put together two groups of athletes that will gain international experience this summer in preparation for the upcoming 2018 European Championships, along with the 2019 World Championships and ultimately the 2020 Olympic Games.
The first group, comprised of female athletes, competed at the Canet stop of the Mare Nostrum tour and will continue in Barcelona.
The second group was primarily focused on relays, as Ireland has identified that the men’s 400 free, the men’s 400 medley and the mixed 400 medley relays are their best chances to field a relay team in the Olympic Games, something they’ve never done before. This group will have a 7-day training camp in Ostia before travelling to Rome to compete in the Sette Colli Trophy. Athletes who will be swimming at the European Junior Championships won’t be able to attend as the dates clash.
In order for a relay to qualify for the Olympics, they would either need to place in the top-12 at the 2019 World Championships, or be one of the four fastest out of the remaining countries in the relay between March 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020.
The swimmers who will be apart of the relay camp are as follows:
- Conor Ferguson, National Centre (Dublin)
- Rory McEvoy, National Centre (Dublin)
- Darragh Greene, National Centre (Dublin)
- Alex Murphy, National Centre (Dublin)
- Brendan Hyland, National Centre (Dublin)
- Michael Hewitt, City of Belfast
- Jordan Sloan, Bangor
- Calum Bain, University of Stirling
- David Thompson, Bangor
- Nicholas Quinn, Edinburgh University
- Niamh Kilgallen, Claremorris
- Mona McSharry, Ballyshannon Marlins
Shane Ryan done swimming?
Know he is finished with eligibility BUT has he graduated yet?
No. He’s competing at the ECs in Glasgow.
Great move on Ireland’s part. Relays are so exciting and inspirational for the athletes.