AS Olympic fever washes over the country, particularly with Ireland’s first Olympic 2024 medal coming from swimmer Mona McSharry this week, Swim Ireland and the University of Limerick (UL) have teamed up once again to ensure that Swim Ireland athletes will have a place to train in the Mid West.
UL and Swim Ireland (SI) have renewed their partnership for another four years, which will see SI athletes continue to train at UL’s Sport Arena, one of Swim Ireland’s key national centres.
The agreement secures the future of the high-performance National Centre at University of Limerick’s UL Sport Arena through to 2028 in preparation for the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the project also supported by Sport Ireland.
The agreement highlights the commitment of UL, Swim Ireland, and Sport Ireland to the promotion of high-performance swimming and the supporting of elite athletes on their journey to Olympic and Paralympic success, as well as that of other major international swimming events en route at World and European levels.
UL’s Sports Arena has been the training ground for Paralympic swimmer and World Record holder Róisín Ní Riain, European Junior Champion John Shortt, Commonwealth Youth Games Champion Ellie McCartney, and the captain of the 2024 Canadian Olympic Swim Team, Jeremy Bagshaw.
UL Sport boasts international-standard facilities including a national 50-metre swimming pool, a multipurpose sports arena, 3G pitches designed to GAA, FIFA, and IRB specifications, Ireland’s only indoor powered rowing tank, and many other advanced training amenities.
Swim Ireland National Performance Director Dr Jon Rudd said that the centre in UL is uniquely positioned to offer all the requirements of a high-performance athlete.
“This National Centre is managed in partnership with UL Sport and Sport Ireland and is uniquely positioned to offer a one-stop-shop experience that includes all the requirements of a high-performance athlete alongside a world-class university education, all delivered within a highly supportive and understanding environment,” Mr Rudd said.
“Many of our potential athletes for the LA Olympic or Paralympic Games in four years’ time are either already based here full-time or use the Centre part-time whilst they are still in secondary school.”
Brian King, director of UL Sport, said that “with the Paris Olympics now upon us, we are really excited to continue our collaboration with Swim Ireland at the high-performance centre here at University of Limerick”.
“Swim Ireland has been a key strategic partner for the last 20 years, and we are delighted to confirm the continuation of this relationship up until the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics,” Mr King said.
