Swim Ireland have named their two strongest available teams for next month's European Short Course Championships and British Championships. The progressive policy comes despite the continued suspension of government funding.
Three Irish Olympians, Andrew Bree, Colin Lowth and Chantal Gibney, were named for the European Short Course Championships in Valencia but all three have had to pull out due to university commitments.
Instead the team to travel to the competition, which runs from December 14th to 17th, consists of Munster's Lee Kelleher and four Ulster swimmers. Julie Douglas, unfortunate not to have been given recognition for Sydney considering her potential as Ireland's fastest female competitor over 50 metres freestyle, is a popular choice. Emma Robinson, Andrew Reid and Michael Williamson complete a team in search of experience rather than medals. Robinson continues to swim out of Bath University and is one of a number of Irish competitors who will be representing their universities at the British Championships in Sheffield from December 7th to 10th.
Niamh Cawley, Fiona Kinsella, Siobhain McNally, Sinead Tyrell, Stephen Manley, Donal O'Neill and Muiris O Riada will represent Ireland.
All seven, meanwhile, have been included in the new Team Ireland. The other selections are Bree, Gibney, Lowth, Kelleher, Douglas, Robinson, Williamson, Mark Craig and Hugh O'Connor.
Further steps in the drawing up of the association's strategic planning will be taken at provincial level with meetings arranged for November 24th (Leinster), November 25th (Ulster), December 1st (Munster) and December 2nd (Connacht).
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