Sara to swim for Ireland in Egypt

Tuesday, 05 October 2010 10:28

Sara English, Castlebar, travels to Alexandria in Egypt this week to represent Ireland in the World Surf Lifesaving Championships. Events in the pool and on the beach will see Ireland face tough competition from top teams such as Australia, the USA and Italy. Sara has been training with the national squad since January, with regular sessions in the University of Limerick and the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.

In July, trials took place among the squad's 30 members and Sara was among six top swimmers selected alongside fellow Mayo team-mate Patricia Brennan.
Sara will compete in seven pool and three beach events, including a 600m sea swim.
Sara also recently competed at the World Masters swimming championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, smashing three Irish records.
She swam in the 400m and 200m individual medley, where she finished in fourth and fifth place respectively, and had a ninth place finish in the 100m breaststroke.
The hard work, dedication and determination throughout the year has certainly paid off for Sara, who is coached alongside a squad of talented Castlebar swimmers by Marian English.
Sara has been to the fore of the sport in Mayo for many years and has a fine record at national level.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Quinn has got his preparations for the 2012 Olympic in London back on track after overcoming an injury setback.
The Castlebar-based competitor incurred a shoulder and wrist injury in a nasty fall from his bicycle a number of months ago. But he remarkably turned adversity to his advantage by training with greater intensity and drive despite the initial pain and discomfort. He succeeded in recording personal best times in the 100 and 200 metres breaststroke finals at a meeting in Sheffield in August.
It was a clear signal that his place in the Irish development squad is not in question.
Quinn has to face a number of major challenges before the end of the year and his progress will be followed with great interest by the Mayo sporting public.
He qualified for the Irish Olympic swimming team in April 2008 after clocking the qualifying time in the 100 metres breaststroke.