European Short Course Swimming Championships November 2010

swim2

Will be interesting to see how some of these swimmers do in the European Championships, particularly Grainne Murphy




The Irish National Short Course Swimming Championships get under way in Leisureland on Thursday where a total of 41 teams will be in action including swimmers from Dubai and from the UK as well as Irish clubs representing all four provinces.
Beijing Olympian Aisling Cooney kicks off proceeding with the women's 50m backstroke.
Cooney is one of three swimmers who will line out at the European Short Course Championships in the Netherlands next week, alongside Grainne Murphy and Melanie Nocher.

Neither Murphy or Nocher are in Galway this week as they continue to focus on their preparations for the meet in Eindhoven.
Session one of the Nationals on Thursday also features 2009 World Championship team members Karl Burdis (50m backstroke) and Niamh O'Sullivan (800m freestyle) who both train full-time out of the National Aquatic High Performance Centre in Dublin.
Other names to watch out for in the pool this weekend are Connacht swimmer and European Youth Olympian Nicholas Quinn, Galway girl Darne Ryan, 2010 European Junior squad member Shani Stallard and National record holder Conor Leaney.
The last time a National Swimming Championship was held in Leisureland was in 2003, when Swim Ireland hosted the famous annual Leisureland International Meet. That event saw World Champions Therese Alshammer, Mark Foster and Jon Olsen line out to display their talents.

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Cooney stars in Salthill Championships

Thursday, 18 November 2010
Olympian Aisling Cooney was the top gold medallist in the opening session of Irish National Short Course Swimming finals in Salthill.

Ahead of her trip to Eindhoven in Holland next week where she will compete at the European Short Course Swimming Championships, Cooney won the Women's 50m backstroke ahead of team-mates Amy McVeigh and Niamh McDonnell.


William Ensor won the Men's equivalent in 27.40 seconds in the absence of Irish record holder Karl Burdis.

Dan Sweeney took gold in the Men's Breaststroke final in a time of 30.78 seconds while other winner's on day one included Niamh Bryson, in the Women's 50m Breaststroke in a time of 35.08 seconds while Conor Turner won the Men's 1500m freestyle in 15.47.78.

Niamh O'Sullivan, another of the Irish team in Rome last year, and who also swims out of the High Performance Centre at the NAC, won the demanding Women's 800m freestyle gold in 8.52.13.

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From the official event website


Three double World Champions to compete in Eindhoven[/B]









The 2008 Olympic Champions, Italy’s Federica Pellegrini and Germany’s Britta Steffen, will be the top stars in the freestyle events from 50 to 800 metres at the 14th European Short Course Swimming Championships in Eindhoven (NED) from November 25th to 28th. It is Steffen’s first international championships in 18 months as she missed the 2009 Short Course Europeans in Istanbul as well as the 2010 European Long Course Championships in Budapest due to various injuries. The 27-year-old won the 50m and the 100m freestyle events at the Olympic Games in Beijing; 22-year-old Pellegrini won the 200m freestyle. They both also achieved two World Championship gold medals in Rome last year: Steffen again in the 50m and 100m freestyle, and Pellegrini in the 200m and 400m freestyle. Another 2009 double World Champion to compete at the “Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimming Stadium” is Germany’s Paul Biedermann (200m and 400m freestyle).

375 athletes from 35 nations have entered the Continental Championships in Eindhoven, which are being held in November for the first time due to the FINA World Short Course Championships in Dubai in mid-December. Norwegian 2009 World Championship bronze medallist (50m butterfly) Ingvild Snildal has entered eight events. Ireland’s Gráinne Murphy, the 2010 European Championship silver medallist in the 1,500m freestyle, intends to compete in seven events. As last year, 40-year-old Turk Serkan Atasay is the oldest competitor.

Regarding antidoping control at the event, and in addition to the usual and extensive urine sample collection, the LEN Executive has decided that in case of World and/or European Records antidoping blood control testing will be applied. Additionally, 15 antidoping blood control tests will be done at random among the participating athletes.

dory

Feel like I should contribute something to break up the monologue here!!

I've always found with swimmers that no matter how into the sport the are, they really weren't bothered what the stars of the sport are doing in the way people watch football, GAA and all. I competed at that last event in Leisurland in 2003. I remember talking to a few swimmers and we couldn't recognise any big name other than Mark Foster for his height. And Ian Thorpe was the only other big swimmer we knew. Tis strange.

Anywho, best of luck to the Irish at Eindhoven.

sock puppet

dory wrote: »

Feel like I should contribute something to break up the monologue here!!

I've always found with swimmers that no matter how into the sport the are, they really weren't bothered what the stars of the sport are doing in the way people watch football, GAA and all. I competed at that last event in Leisurland in 2003. I remember talking to a few swimmers and we couldn't recognise any big name other than Mark Foster for his height. And Ian Thorpe was the only other big swimmer we knew. Tis strange.

Anywho, best of luck to the Irish at Eindhoven.

True. I'd watch the Euros/worlds if they were on as would a few I know but I don't follow developments in the sport all that closely really. Suppose bar a couple of swimmers even the big names aren't stars or anything. That said most would know the top swimmers in Ireland.

ksapwaff

I'd know the name of some of the Australian and American swimmers more so than I would the Irish swimmers and I have worked at the Irish championships on a few occasions!!
The sport isn't really promoted well enough unfortunately in Ireland for people to know who the mainstream swimmers are.

swim2

"I'd know the name of some of the Australian and American swimmers more so than I would the Irish swimmers and I have worked at the Irish championships on a few occasions!!
The sport isn't really promoted well enough unfortunately in Ireland for people to know who the mainstream swimmers are"


I Completely agree. I work close to the pool where Grainne trains and I have seen both Aisling Cooney and Melanie Nocher compete. The sport isnt promoted all that well. Just with what is going on in Ireland at the moment, we need good news stories badly:D

qweeva

Hi there,
Any idea if this is going to be on Television. I had a quick look at the TV guide, but couldn't see it mentioned.
Cheers,
C

hotmail.com

Nocker and Murphy have made the 400 metres final. It takes place today at 3.30. Anyone know where I can watch it, or does anyone know if RTE radio is covering it? Thanks.

sock puppet

Another bronze for Murphy!

edit: Nocher came 5th

swim2

The website from the official event
http://www.europeanchampionships.org/Eindhoven_2010/

has some videos of races, Grainne 400m final still not up there

It is brilliant to see Grainne Murphy doing so well as well as Melanie and Aisling. Hopefully a good sign of things to come. And one more final for Grainne to compete in, she must be exhausted!!!!
I dont know if RTE will show any coverage of it

swim2

seventh place....Grainne murphy in 400 IM final

keela91

Wow such great results from the Irish team !
Quick question...i was a bit disappointed not to see Barry Murphy, Andrew Bree, Niamh o Sullivan etc.. Compete, anyone know why nott?

swim2

I think some had decided not to compete in the event to concentrate more on training, or those based in the US thought it was too far of a journey.
I am not 100% sure to be honest. The same competitition was held in Istanbul last year and there were 10 Irish swimmers competing.
Perhaps some didnt make the times to compete, but I know I did hear somewhere that some had decided not to travel. For the life of me I cant find where I read it!!!

keela91

Oh ok, thanks.
Irish swimming is doing quiet well atm. If u think about the publicity that athletics gets in comparison and note to recent change in success. I think swimming must be the toughest sport out there. I am not from Limerick so my knowledge of the High Performance Centre in UL is limited but I remember when that was established. A friend of mine is involved in swimming and told me that there was 3 families including Grainne who moved there between 05 and 06. Such a huge commitment for all of them. That in itself is success. I hope that those other families have similar success if they are still in UL.

Lirange

This meet is not the main focus for many swimmers. I wouldn't be surprised if even Murphy and some of the others weren't completely rested on a full taper. Other than the Olympics the primary long term goal is the long course World Championships next summer in China.

sock puppet

Lirange wrote: »

This meet is not the main focus for many swimmers. I wouldn't be surprised if even Murphy and some of the others weren't completely rested on a full taper. Other than the Olympics the primary long term goal is the long course World Championships next summer in China.

I read Murphy was in full training until just two days before the meet. Just looking at the results and there were a lot of top swimmers missing, especially the French and British.