THE Para Swimming Team which will represent Ireland in Manchester next month has been announced.
The city in northern England plays host to the 11th edition of the Para Swimming World Championships from July 31 to 6 August 6 – where more than 600 athletes from over 70 nations are set to compete at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.
Among them Team Ireland will consist of four Paralympians and one new Irish para swimmer, led by the excellent Ellen Keane.
A seasoned Paralympian, with four Paralympic Games under her belt and another on the horizon, Keane admits she is excited to get to the competition.
“I’m so excited. The pool that we’re going to be competing in is really fast, it’s a really great pool to race in,” she said.
“It’s a new team that we’re bringing away with some new faces and it’s great to see such a young team. I’m excited to see them compete and support them,” she added.
Swimmers Roisin Ní Riain, Dearbhaile Brady and Barry McClementsParalympic silver medalist Nicole Turner adds to the experience of the team, hoping to qualify for her third Paralympic games this year.
Turner, from Laois, has picked up two silver medals on the Para Swimming World Series in both Melbourne and Minneapolis this year.
Limerick native Róisín Ní Riain has already seen success in 2023, fitting her training and competition schedule around sitting the leaving cert this summer.
After breaking two world records at the Irish Winter Championships in 2022 she set another world record at the Para Swimming World Series in Berlin this May.
Tokyo Paralympian Barry McClements will hope to continue his consistent form from earlier this year at the Para Swimming World Series in Minneapolis.
The Down man collected two silver medals in the 100m backstroke and the 100m fly.
It will also be an exciting week for Derry’s Derbhaile Brady, who will make her major championship debut for Ireland.
Team Ireland Swimmers Barry McClements, Nicole Turner, Ellen Keane, Dearbhaile Brady and Roisin Ní RiainPara Swimming Performance Director, Dave Malone said of the squad: “We’re looking forward to competing against the world's best athletes over seven days of competition in Manchester.
“Following the success of the team at last year's world championships, we expect an even greater challenge this year and our team have been focusing on performing at a key milestone event towards the Paris Paralympic Games.”
He added: “We’re looking forward to Dearbhaile Brady competing at her first ever major championships for Ireland.”
