Michelle De Bruin has an appointment with a specialist today for further inspection of whiplash damage sustained in a car accident a few weeks ago. She is hopeful that she will be allowed to increase a training schedule that would be suitably close to her normal routine six weeks in advance of the World Championships in Perth.

"The affect of the whiplash is still there, it is not improving much at the moment," said her coach and husband, Erik de Bruin yesterday.

"We are trying to do as much as we can. When we can't do as much as we would want to do, it would always be a reason for concern."

A fortnight ago the swimmer felt that if she could not get back into full training within a month she would have to forget about Perth.

The two competitors to complete the four-strong Irish team for Perth will be named next weekend and immediate arrangements will be made for long-course training abroad.

Adrian O'Connor and Lee Kelleher figured in A finals at the long-course meet in Vienna at the weekend. O'Connor won the 200 metres backstroke and took second in the 100 metres backstroke.

Chantal Gibney and Nick O'Hare reached B finals. O'Hare won both the 50 and 100 metres finals. Gibney trimmed the Irish junior record for the 50 metres freestyle with a time of 27.27 seconds. Remarkably, the Dubliner swam stronger in her heats. The question now is who will the selectors choose to join De Bruin and Colin Lowth on the team for Perth. It looks as though they will name O'Connor and O'Hare. The New Ross man swam a good 100 metres backstroke, finishing second to the European 50 metres short-course record holder, Tomaslos Carlo of Croatia.