Nocher recovers to give a good account

SWIMMING/EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:HAVING MISSED three days of training last week because of a car collision, which caused whiplash, Ireland's Melanie Nocher produced an Irish record-breaking swim in the semi-finals of the women's 200 metres backstroke at the European swimming championships at Eindhoven yesterday.

It was on a night that saw a new world record set by the Netherlands in the women's 4 x 100 metres freestyle final, winning in three minutes 33.62 seconds to smash the old record by almost two seconds.

Nocher, who is attempting to join Andrew Bree at the Olympic Games later this year, finished in ninth place overall, one place off making tomorrow's final, while her time of 2:15.40 set an Irish senior record, breaking her own best time set in February by .27.

In fact, two Irish made the last 16 of the women's 200 backstroke, with Aisling Cooney placed 11th overall in her first major championships, swimming a time of 2:16.21.

Nocher was classed in 11th place after the morning heats; Cooney was 15th and clearly delighted with a place in the last 16.

"I'm a bit disappointed but its an Irish record and I'm happy with that," said Nocher. "I was in a car accident last Wednesday and I got whiplash, which meant that I missed three days of training last week, so considering that I'm really happy with that swim."

Bree is the only Irish swimmer to make the Beijing games so far and Nocher is looking to eventually swim 2:12 for the 200 backstroke to dip under the Olympic qualifying A standard, a tough ask to swim almost three seconds quicker than her new Irish record,

She will have another opportunity at the Irish Long Course National Championships at Abbotstown next month, which is also an Olympic qualifier.

The City of Belfast swimmer is now breaking records at short and long course that were once held by Michelle Smith De Bruin and feels herself she is capable of making the Olympics Games.

Claire Dawson was the first Irish swimmer in the pool, but was a disappointing eighth and last in her heat of the 50 metres butterfly and was ranked 40th overall in a time of 29.34, over half a second outside her personal best and some way adrift of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Likewise Gráinne Murphy's swim in the heats of the 400 metres individual medley was also a disappointing one as her time of 5:03.17 seconds was over five seconds slower than her entry time and placed her 19th.

Barry Murphy was due to swim the 100 metres breaststroke heats, but withdrew his entry. The 23-year-old Dubliner, whose main event is the 50 metres freestyle, decided to arrive late last night and his first event will now be the heats of the 100 metres freestyle on Friday.

Cooney, Nocher and Gráinne Murphy are all in action today in the heats of the 100 metres freestyle.