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Europe awaits Irish eight

THE IRISH swimming selectors have responded positively to national coach Ger Doyle's plea to name a numerically-strong team for…

By PAT ROCHE
Tue Jun 17 1997 - 01:00

THE IRISH swimming selectors have responded positively to national coach Ger Doyle's plea to name a numerically-strong team for the European Championships in Seville in August.

Eight swimmers have been named for the prestigious competition. Included is Michelle Smith, although the triple Olympic champion has not, as yet, decided to defend her two titles.

Doyle's call to the selectors to give young, promising aspirants the chance to perform at this level has clearly been answered by the inclusion of Hugh O'Connor, Chantal Gibney, Paul McCarthy and Colin Lowth.

The full team is: Michelle Smith; Chantal Gibney; Adrian O'Connor; Hugh O'Connor; Michael Giles; Colin Lowth; Paul McCarthy and Nick O'Hare.

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Further well-earned recognition is given to Ireland's younger swimmers who will compete in the Junior European Championships in Glasgow from July 31st to August 3rd. Six impressive competitors have been named for this event and Lee Kelleher stands out as an excellent prospect for a medal.

The six named are: Graham Beegan; Niamh Cawley; Mark Craig; Lee Kelleher; David Roche and John Paul Williamson.

The selectors rounded off a busy time by naming an eight-strong side for the British Amateur Swimming Association age group championships in Coventry from August 4th to 9th.

A better Irish age-group team would be difficult to name. All six are poised to impress. The team is: Lynne Donnelly, Emma Leggett, Karen Marshall, Siobhan McNally, Clare Nixon, Nessa O'Shea, Muiris Reidy and Michael Williamson.

Olympic 800-metre freestyle champion Brooke Bennett secured her role as the queen of US swimming in Charlotte, North Carolina at the weekend. She was racing in a meeting which featured several hopefuls for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Seventeen-year-old Bennett set a meeting record in winning the 1,500 metres freestyle in 16 minutes 22.43 seconds. However, the time was still well off Janet Evans' 1988 world and Olympic record of 15:52.10.

Bennett also captured the 400 metres freestyle in 4:17.04 and the 800 metres freestyle in 8:35.37.