GRANTS: Four of Ireland's most successful sports at Olympic level, sailing, boxing, equestrian events and rowing, yesterday received significant grants from the Irish Sports Council (ISC) to finance their preparations for Athens 2004. In addition, the Irish women's hockey team was given a further allocation to assist in their preparation for the World Cup in Perth, Australia, in November.

In total, €1,153,220 has been given to the sports which have proven to be winners at international level. The four biggest recipients have won medals at European, World and Olympic level in recent years and are seen to be Ireland's best chances of medals in Athens, while the women's hockey team will be competing in the World Cup for the first time since 1994 when they hosted it.

Boxing attracted the highest award of €310,500, with sailing taking €280,700, equestrian €250,000 and rowing €247,020. Hockey has been awarded €65,000, which is in addition to the 2002 International and Training grant of €164,420.

The allocations come as part of the Sports Council's High Performance Strategy, which targets federations who have shown themselves capable of yielding performances at the highest level. It is the first part of the €3 million the Government committed in Budget 2002 to the first year of this High Performance Strategy.

"We have worked closely with the governing bodies to ensure that their high-performance planning is world class," said John Treacy, the chief executive of the ISC.

"We are delighted with the quality of the plans produced by the national governing bodies. They represent a radical shift in the approach Irish sport takes to achieve success at the highest levels."

The allocation to sailing brings the amount invested in the ISA's high performance programme to €697,099, while boxing, the most prolific supplier of Olympic medals to Ireland but now facing competition from professionalism and the break-up of the Soviet Union, totals €819,417 for 2002.

The overall investment in rowing, which is committed to having a full-time squad of athletes based at the national rowing centre in Cork, reaches €670,454.

The €250,000 grant for equestrian sport, which comprises the Olympic disciplines of showjumping, eventing and dressage, augments a previous grant of €211,443.

"From the outset, the ISA has engaged diligently in this process," said Paddy Boyd, secretary general of the ISA. "Winning medals at Olympic level is becoming ever more difficult as professionalism grows across all sports. The High Performance Strategy and the funding underpinning it will allow the ISA to prepare athletes to the maximum of their ability."

Fred Tiedt won silver in 1956 and since then boxing has produced eight Olympic medals, more than any other sport, including athletics. But boxing has been ignored in terms of proper government support, and greeted the grants with enthusiasm.

"We look forward to using this much-needed money to carry out our long-term plans for Athens 2004," said the IABA secretary Seán Crowley.

The women's hockey team will go to Perth with its best ever financial support, with €105,000 specifically earmarked for the event. The team must compete with 11 of the best sides in the world, including full-time professional teams.

"It allows us to develop a short- and long-term strategy for a sports science programme," said Ireland coach Riet Kuper. "In addition an extensive competition and training programme can now be in place in advance of November's competition."