Eight Olympians heading to Worlds; Young stars booked for Europeans
Swim Ireland have announced their
teams for the 2021 FINA World Championships (25m) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates and the LEN European Championships (25) in Kazan, Russia, the latter
event beginning next week.
In the main, athletes were selected
to compete in one or other of the two events, as it is unusual for both to take
place in the same calendar year; events being pushed back because of the
pandemic has resulted in the end of 2021 and much of 2022 being more hectic for
international racing than usual.
The World Championships is set to run
over six days from 16th – 21st December, with the European equivalent also
running over six days from 2nd – 7th November 2021.
Ireland’s youthful European
Championships team features three athletes – Eoin Corby, Molly Mayne and Grace
Hodgins - that will focus on gathering experience, while among the 12 athletes
in Ireland’s heading to Abu Dhabi are eight Olympians, including Tokyo 2020
Olympic finalist Mona McSharry.
The Irish team for the World
Championships will also feature Olympic Top-16 finisher Daniel Wiffen and Shane
Ryan and Danielle Hill, who have performed notably in the 2021 season of the
International Swimming League (ISL).
Fellow Olympians Brendan Hyland, Finn
McGeever, Jack McMillan, and Ellen Walshe will also compete, with Darragh
Greene the only Tokyo 2020 swimmer not travelling, as he only recently returned
to the training pool after an extended post-Olympics break.
Identified relays will once again be
a strong focus for the Irish contingent with some athletes selected to the team
specifically for this purpose. The Irish team will be led by Team Leader Jon
Rudd and Head Coach Ben Higson, with Michael McCarthy also selected as a team
coach to support the travelling contingent.
The Irish team at the European
Championships in Kazan will be led by Head Coach John Szaranek, who will be
assisted by Trojan Swimming Club coach Jonathan Preston.
On this team, multiple Irish Junior
Record holder Eoin Corby is the most experienced of the group. He and team mate
Molly Mayne recently started their short course season at the FINA Swimming
World Cup.
They will be joined by youngster
Grace Hodgins, who will gain her first Irish cap at all levels when she first
steps onto the blocks.
National Performance Director Jon Rudd
said: “After what was our most successful Olympic Games in at least 25 years,
we are delighted to be able to return to some high quality international
racing, something that eluded us during 2020 and 2021 as we approached Tokyo.
“There’s very much an eye on the
future with some of these athletes and they all met what we felt was a
stringent and robust Selection Policy to make these teams.
“Some athletes have been unable to
take up their places, particularly for Kazan, as November is not an easy period
for those in full-time education, but for those who can take the opportunity,
we will look forward to some fast and exciting short course racing across the
two meets.”
The Swim Ireland Selection Policy
permitted Mona McSharry a place on both Irish National Teams at these two
events, but McSharry will focus on the Abu Dhabi event due to her ongoing
academic commitments.
The athletes returning from Kazan
will also race in the 2021 Irish National Short Course Championships, which
take place at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin from the 16th – 18th
December.
Jessica Lamb
Communications Executive
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