COLIN LOUTH (Cormorant Swimming Club) broke the Senior 200m Irish butterfly record in a time of 2.04.01 in the Grand Prix Super finals in Sheffield yesterday. In doing so, he has achieved the qualifying time for Atlanta.

Freestyler Nick O'Hare, who hopes to be given the nod this week by the Olympic Council of Ireland for inclusion in Ireland's team for Atlanta, sustained a back injury getting off a bus on his way to compete in the event at the weekend.

O'Hare was hoping to improve on his `B' qualifying mark for the 50 metres freestyle, but was advised by the physio not to compete. "I felt the hurt as I was getting out of my seat on the bus. Had I not achieved the times last week I could have taken a chance and competed, but the physio advised me there was no point in taking the risk," said O'Hare.

His time of 23.36 seconds, achieved in Phoenix, Arizona, where he bent a host of top US Olympic final trialists, prompted him to say that he would have won in Sheffield, given Mark Fosters time (23.9 seconds).