SWIMMING: It will be an action-packed day for the Irish swimmers on the opening day of the European short course swimming championships at Abbotstown today with all 12 national competitors listed for the morning heats, due to start at 8.30 a.m.
But definitely out of the action is Germany's world champion Franziska van Almsick who has been ruled out of the championships with sinusitis.
It was announced at the pre-championship press conference at Abbotstown yesterday that the championship will be the most representative ever, with 40 nations and over 500 swimmers involved.
Ireland will have be represented by both Julie Douglas and Chantal Gibney in the heats for the 100 metres freestyle, van Almsick's premier event
The men's 50 metres freestyle and women's 50 metres breaststroke start the championships off, with the men's 200 metres individual medley to follow, when Ireland's main hope Andrew Bree will be competing in the first of his lesser events.
Bree will be working towards a best performance in Sunday's 200 metres breaststroke.
The Irish swimmers involved today are: Women: 100m freestyle - Douglas and Gibney; 200m butterfly - Lee Kelleher; 50m breaststroke - Emma Robinson; 100m backstroke - Melanie Nocher; 200m IM - Claire Hogan; 200m butterfly - Sinéad Tyrrell; Men: 200m IM and 100m breaststroke - Bree and Michael Williamson; 400m freestyle - Steven Manley; 100m butterfly - Donal O'Neill and Muiris Ó Riada.
