WHILE Michelle Smith has taken up engagements with a heart and a will away from the pool, her coach Eric de Bruin is concerned about the possible adverse effect such breaks from training, in Olympic year, might cause. It is another circumstance that could hasten the duo's expected departure from their Dutch base in Dortrecht to train with the US or Australian squads.
With six months to go to the Olympics there is growing speculation as to who, if indeed any other Irish competitor, will succeed in joining Smith as an Atlanta qualifier.
Bobbie Madine, Ireland's Belfast based Olympic coach, who will be attending a technical committee meeting in Dublin on Sunday, considers it to be "crystal ball gazing" at this stage. He says "I hope a whole lot qualify but, as to who or how many will, I don't know. I would not even be prepared to hazard a guess.
Due to exams, Madine's daughter Marion, who is based in England for Law practice, will not be among a host of Irish hopefuls set to compete in the third series of World Cup short course events in Sheffield on January 23rd 24th.
The series in which Smith excelled last year continues for another five meets after Sheffield. The venues and dates are Espoo (Finland), January 27th-28th Malmo (Sweden), January 30th-31st Paris, February 3rd-4th Florence, February 6th-7th, and Gelsenkirchen (Germany), February 10th-11th.
A possible assembly of five nations is anticipated for the Leisure land international meet in Salthill in March. Israeli and Swedish Olympic team members are the latest to show interest in competing over a short course in the run up to Atlanta.
Given that the norm, with the obvious exception of the World Cup, is for Olympians to shy away from short course competitive races so close to the big event, this latest development clearly reflects the diligence and marketing powers of the IASA's recruiting personnel.
IASA director of swimming Dave McCullagh is another diligent operator of notable value to the association's coaching structures. Dublin based McCullagh was in Limerick at the weekend busily responding to his well devised overall plan to have coaching information and education efficiently dispensed to all units. His brief dealt with various areas of the sport and the latest methods being deployed to bring about improvement.
The seminar was well supported with over 70 delegates attending. They were rewarded with up to date information on effective training science, techniques, practices and structured planning, pre competition preparations and psychology.
Emphasising the importance of the seminar, IASA secretary Celia Millane says It is well known that the key to successful swimmers is the continued education coaches and teachers. Also, it is important to keep up to date on all new world developments."
The education of the competition officials has been even a greater priority for the IASA since the setting up some years ago of their sub committee, SOS. This body has arranged another technical officials course in Cork on Saturday February 10th. The link in this area with FINA will also be maintained next month when top official Ray Kendal attends the conference for referees in Atlanta.
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