Irish team of six heading to Glasgow swimming Worlds
01.07.2015Double Paralympians Ellen Keane and Darragh McDonald are joined by newcomers Ailbhe Kelly and Nicole Turner.
Double Paralympians Ellen Keane and Darragh McDonald are joined by newcomers Ailbhe Kelly and Nicole Turner.
© • Paralympics Ireland
“The world’s best swimmers will all be in Glasgow and there’s no better chance for our athletes to benchmark themselves against them. Should they swim to their potential we are hopeful of making the podium and seeing some lifetime best swims.”
A strong team of six Irish athletes has been announced to compete at the IPC Swimming World Championships set to take place in Glasgow, Great Britain from 13-19 July.
The team, which is supported by Allianz, is made up of four previous Paralympians and two newcomers.
Double Paralympians (Beijing 2008 & London 2012) Darragh McDonald and Ellen Keane are joined by fellow London Paralympians James Scully and Jonathan McGrath. Competing in their first World Championships are teenagers Ailbhe Kelly and Nicole Turner.
Glasgow 2015 is a key milestone on the road to Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification. Swimmers who win gold and silver in their events earn automatic qualification slots for their country. For the others the highest possible finish is vital as the remaining slots are allocated based on world rankings in 2016.
Looking ahead to the Championships team manager Hayley Burke said: “We’ve just returned from a really positive and productive ten day warm weather camp in Fuerteventura. All the team worked exceptionally hard fine tuning final preparations there and are in good shape now heading into the Championships.
“The world’s best swimmers will all be in Glasgow and there’s no better chance for our athletes to benchmark themselves against them. Should they swim to their potential we are hopeful of making the podium and seeing some lifetime best swims.”
London 2012 gold medallist McDonald won 400m freestyle S6 gold at the 2013 World Championships in Montreal, Canada, but did not compete at last year’s European Championships due to surgery. He is currently ranked fourth going into that event but is hopeful he can improve on that placing in Glasgow.
Dubliner Ellen Keane who claimed two bronze medals at the 2013 Worlds is currently ranked third going into her best event; the 100m breaststroke SB8 and fourth in her second ranked event the 200m individual medley SM9.
Fellow National Aquatic Centre club swimmer James Scully, who claimed two European bronze medals last year, will be targeting his best performances in the 100m and 200m freestyle S5. However, the top ranked swimmers in both of those events are from outside of Europe so he will need to swim lifetime bests to be in with a chance of contesting the medals.
Clare athlete Jonathan McGrath swam a lifetime best to qualify for these Championships so will have to do the same again if he is to make the final in his best event; the 400m freestyle S8.
Sixteen-year-old Ailbhe Kelly is competing in her second major international having debuted at last year’s European Championships. Her best event is the 100m backstroke SB8 and she will be hoping to edge into that final.
Thirteen year old Nicole Turner will be competing in her first major senior international Championships in Glasgow. Entered in six events, it is a chance for Turner to gain invaluable experience at this level, and will be hoping to make a final in her best event; the 100m breaststroke.
Over 580 athletes from nearly 70 countries will be competing at Glasgow 2015 which are being staged at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre; scene of last year’s Commonwealth Games.
All the heats and finals will be shown live at www.Glasgow2015.com.
The Irish team is proudly sponsored by Allianz; an official sponsor of Paralympics Ireland.
Full roster
Ellen Keane, S9, SB8, NAC swim club, from Clontarf, Dublin 3
Women’s 50m freestyle
Women’s 100 m freestyle
Women’s 100 m breaststroke
Women’s 200 m individual medley
Women’s 100 m backstroke
Women’s 100 m butterfly
Ailbhe Kelly, S8, NAC swim club, from Castleknock, Dublin 15
Women’s 400m freestyle
Women’s 100m backstroke
Women’s 100m freestyle
James Scully, S5, NAC swim club, from Ratoath, Co. Meath
Men’s 100m freestyle
Men’s 200m freestyle
Men’s 50m freestyle
Men’s 50m backstroke
Jonathan McGrath, S8, Limerick High Performance Swim team, from Killaloe, Co.Clare
Men’s 100m backstroke
Men’s 400m freestyle
Darragh McDonald, S6, UCD Swim team, from Gorey, Co.Wexford
Men’s 400m freestyle
Men’s 100m freestyle
Men’s 50m freestyle
Nicole Turner, S6, Laois Marlins Swim team, from Portlaoise, Co.Laois
Women’s 50m freestyle
Women’s 50m butterfly
Women’s 100m freestyle
Women’s 100m breaststroke
Women’s 200m individual medley
Women’s 400m freestyle
Staff
Jim Laverty, National Coach
Hayley Burke, Team Manager
Mary Seery, Team support
Alan Swanton, Performance Analyst
Jon Faulkner, Physiotherapist
Ciara Sinnott O’Connor, Physiologist
Tickets for the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships, featuring over 580 swimmers from nearly 70 countries, are still available from as little as GBP 10/15 for heats/finals. Children under 16 go free (terms and conditions apply).
