Smith flirts with a few options

A WIDE range of options are still floating around in the world of Ireland's triple Olympic gold medallist swimmer. A film possibility, an interest in television journalism and the resumption of her international swimming career are all on the horizons of Michelle Smith.

Speaking at the official launch in Dublin of her hook, "Gold - A Triple Champion's Story", Smith could hardly have been more relaxed. It was a sparsely attended affair for what should have been one of the high profile hook launches of the year.

Smith, however, was pragmatic and unflappable as half a dozen journalists dispensed with the usual stuffy format and informally pulled up chairs while her coach and husband, Erik de Bruin, sipped coffee in the corner.

"Celebrity has not got in the way. It's foolish not to go with it, but I also have to make sure that I don't forget my swimming. I still want to train at an international level and for now I want to stay at that standard," she said, reiterating her desire to continue to represent Ireland at the highest level.

Now in the pool only once a day to keep in touch and to maintain an acceptable level of fitness, Smith's next competitive outing will be in December for a short course meeting in France. She then travels to, the Caribbean for another competition.

"I won't be in the shape I was in Atlanta, but I committed myself to the organiser in France last March before the Olympics. I still want to have an acceptable level of fitness, so I won't make a fool of myself in the pool."

Smith continues to be seriously interested in a future in communications, although she emphasises that her interest does not necessarily lie just in sports broadcasting.

Her feats in the Olympics drew a whole series of reactions from sports journalists, ranging from withering commentary and scepticism to unrestrained passion and pride in her four medal haul.

"I've had offers of work in Ireland and I've done some work promoting TnaG. I'd like to do more work for them in the future. There has also been some interest in making a film and I've been in touch with an international company with interests in the UK and America. I've been speaking with International Creative Management (ICM) who handle people like Liam Neeson and Mel Gibson. They don't handle many athletes, hut they came to me a couple of weeks after the Olympics.

"They think they might be able to develop the screenplay from the book, but I haven't signed anything yet. If a film was made, I would like to have some input into it, but my swimming comes first. I wouldn't compromise my training."

Hollywood aside, Smith will return to Holland for a more serious look at her schedules and training regime in January. She has admitted in her hook that her relationship with both the Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA) and her former swimming club, King's Hospital, is at best frosty.

The disagreement with the IASA was born out of their decision not to fund a trip to the first series of World Cup races in Hong Kong in 1995, while King's Hospital did not like the idea of their international swimmer doing her own training schedule in their pool. Holland will continue to be her base until she decides to settle back in Ireland.

"We've no plans yet, although we'd like to come hack to Ireland. But while I'm still training hard and going for international competitions, I just can't base myself here."

The book, which went into the shops last Friday, has been distributed nationwide. With an initial run of 20,000, publishers Mainstream" are confident they will have to reprint before Christmas. The book retails at £14.99.