World Junior Swimming Championships gold medallist Mona McSharry heads up an Ireland squad of ten to compete at the LEN European Short Course (25m) Swimming Championships.
The championships, which takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark from the 13th to 17th December, offers McSharry another opportunity to add to her burgeoning reputation on the world stage.
Joining McSharry on the team are World Championship team members Nicholas Quinn, Jordan Sloan, Brendan Hyland and Conor Ferguson.
Also included are 50m Breaststroke bronze medalist at the 2015 event Alex Murphy, Irish record holders Danielle Hill and Conor Brines and 2017 World University Games swimmers Darragh Greene and Calum Bain completing the 10-strong team.
Eight of the ten swimmers were in action this past weekend at the Amsterdam Swim Cup and Manchester International Meets, with McSharry and Ferguson both in record breaking form in Amsterdam.
McSharry had a clean sweep in the Breaststroke events, winning gold medals in 50m, 100m and 200m, the 17-year-old breaking Sycerika McMahon’s 50m Breaststroke and Fiona Doyle’s 100m Breaststroke Senior Irish Records.
Ferguson won 50m and 100m Backstroke golds, breaking his own 100m Senior Irish Record in the process.
Ben Higson, National Senior Team Head Coach said, "This team forms a large part of the core group of athletes that we have identified as our primary prospects for the next Olympic Games and it will be good for me to see them race for the first time in a Championships environment, particularly as I work with most of them as either full-time or in-touch athletes within the National Centre in Dublin.
"To expose key racing skills in a short course environment early into a season is always important and this group has also been selected with strong relay opportunities in mind. Shane Ryan is unavailable for selection, which is always a pity, but this group will all be looking to establish themselves well as we head into the long course section of the season"
