Smith will take on the world

TRIPLE Olympic gold medallist Michelle Smith will compete in European and World championship events in Germany, Sweden, Spain…

TRIPLE Olympic gold medallist Michelle Smith will compete in European and World championship events in Germany, Sweden, Spain and Australia before the Sydney Olympics.

Eighteen months ago her future in the sport was seriously threatened by what now seems a pathetic beggars can't be choosers' syndrome, but now she is set to compete in all four countries. No problem.

The most successful Irish Olympian ever is currently trying to enjoy some rest before heading back into training towards the end of the month.

Rostock in Germany will see her relaunch her competitive career in the European sprint and short-course championships from December 13th to 15th.

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She will compete in next year's World short-course tests (April 17th-20th) in Gothenburg and in the European long-course championships in Seville (August 15th-24th) en route to the world long-course championships in Perth in 1999.

Smith will again be assured of a supporting Irish cast in Rostock and further afield. The full Irish Olympic squad, together with extras such as Colin Lowth, Daragh Sharkey, Hugh O'Connor, Chantel Gibney and Gina Galligan could be poised for selection, subject to funding.

With some of the our Atlanta Olympians thinking of careers, notably Queens University law graduate Marion Madine, not all may be available.

Backstroker Adrian O'Connor of New Ross is definitely continuing with his training for the top level. His coach, Ger Doyle stresses the importance of proper funding: "We should be able to say to four or five swimmers, `look, take a year out from college or work or whatever and we can supplement you and keep you training and at the same time send you here there or elsewhere'."

Doyle adds: "The thing about one-to-one coaching is who is going to pay the poor coach to take a year, or four years years, off. The one-to-one situation between Erik and Michelle is unique".

IASA secretary Celia Millane returned from the European Junior championships in Copenhagen even more convinced of the need for a 50-metre pool.

Our young swimmers did exceptionally well, so much so that Millane says: "Twelve months ago we would not have thought that we were comparable with other swimming nations. The competition at this level has improved so much that neither Norway nor Finland made finals.

Thirteen new Irish records - nine junior and four youths - were set by the Irish team.

The achievements of Cork's Lee Kelleher, Dublin's Graham Beegan, Mayo's Niamh Cawley and Bangor's Claire Nixon were especially satisfying. They all took up to two and a half seconds off their entry times, and this, after only one week's long-course training in Malta. Forty six nations took part and Ireland finished half way up the table.

But Millane says of the lack of facilities here: "When swimmers from other countries mentally switch to 50 metres, Irish swimmers are still in a 25 metre frame of mind and view long-course training and competition as something different instead of accepting it as normal."

Sunday will be the day of reckoning for the many open sea race enthusiasts with success in The Irish Times Dun Laoghaire Harbour races in mind. The women's race gets under way at 4.30 p.m., with the men's fixed for 5.15.