Bree to go it alone at Worlds

Andrew Bree is in the spotlight this week as the only Irish swimmer to have qualified for next month's World Championships in Hong Kong.

The giant 6 ft 6 in Newtownards prospect will be 18 today, but any plans for celebrating the event have been put on hold until after the championships.

Bree's potential on the rugby pitch was noted at Campbell College before he decided to concentrate on swimming. "I couldn't have mixed the two sports," he said. "An injury at rugby would mean my swimming would be disrupted. Anyway, I wouldn't have the time for both."

His career in the pool has been a success so far, he has been included in various national squads and has competed in top-flight events around the world, including the Commonwealth Games, the junior European championships and the Youth Olympics.

Whenever he competes, Bree's primary objective is to register a personal best time. It will be the same in Hong Kong where the world's best swimmers will congregate before the long-course season gets under way in earnest. At this stage he is quick to pinpoint his limitations over the shorter distances, especially at 50 metres. "Although I am tall, I haven't yet acquired the necessary strength for 50s," he said. At this point, he sees his best chance at 200 metres.

Nick O'Hare has taken the necessary steps to redress his disappointing form at the Leisureland international meet in Salthill. Acting on the advice of his Hamburg coach, Dirk Lange, the Dubliner has taken a short break and has just resumed working on technical aspects of his swimming. An early attempt at qualifying for the European Championships has been postponed on Lange's advice and O'Hare intends to return to his Hamburg base next week.

Instead, the Dubliner has targeted the grand prix meet in Sheffield at the beginning of May where he hopes to qualify for the Europeans. "Despite the concession that allows us to qualify short course for the Europeans, which in fact will make it easier for some, I will persist with long course," said O'Hare.

Ironically, O'Hare would have to post a personal best short-course time of 22.5 seconds to qualify for the 50 metres freestyle.