SWIMMING Irish Squad Announced for European Short Course Swimming Championships

The Irish squad has been announced for the upcoming 13th European Short Course Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. The competition begins on December 10th and ends December 13th and for many it will be the first major International event of the season. Federations from 41 countries have confirmed their preliminary entries and a record number of competitors is expected at the multi-purpose indoor Abdi Ipekci Arena.

At the 2008 European Championships in Croatia, Ireland's Olympian Melanie Nocher finished in fifth place overall in the Women's 200m backstroke with US-based Barry Murphy having two top 8 finishes in the 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke events respectively.

This year's squad which comprises of 4 Men; Donal O'Neill, Conor Leaney, Steven McQuillan, Michael Dawson and 6 Women; Aisling Cooney, Grainne Murphy, Melanie Nocher, Nuala Murphy, Niamh O'Sullivan, Clare Dawson will be led by head coach Peter Banks, assistant coach Ronald Claes, team managers Bettie Beattie and Michael Dennihan and physiotherapist Sarah-Jane McDonnell.

Eight out of the thirteen squad members who competed at this summer's World Championships in Rome will be in action in Istanbul. Commenting on the announcement of the team, Swim Ireland's National Performance Director Peter Banks said "This competition is a really good opportunity for our swimmers to compete Internationally not fully rested and at the beginning of the '09/10 season. Most of the team will be looking to use the competition to guage where they're at as we look to next summer's major events."

Entries have now closed for the Irish Short Course National Swimming Championships which will take place at the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin from 19th - 22nd November 2009. Five members of the European Championship team will be in action at that event; Aisling Cooney, Donal O'Neill, Conor Leaney, Steven McQuillan and Michael Dawson.