The summer of Sport just keeps on rolling and as our medal-winning athletes from Glasgow and Berlin come back to earth, Dublin, Tyrone, Galway and Limerick prepare for their dates with All Ireland destiny, the spotlight switches quickly today to the Para Swimming Allianz European Championships getting underway at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.
This is the first time Ireland has hosted a major Para sport event and the right time given our success at international level over the past six years.
It is a major undertaking with 450 athletes arriving into the city together with thousands in their support teams, families and officials.
Ireland has an eight-strong team, led by Paralympic medallist from Rio Ellen Keane and Sport for Business caught up with team manager Hayley Burke on the eve of competition to find out how the last minute preparations have been going.
How does it feel being so close now, having been so involved in getting to this point?
In many ways, it is business for usual for the team, regardless of it being in our backyard, and this is another step on the way towards the Tokyo Paralympic games in 2020.
That said it’s very exciting.
Have you noticed a difference in how the team are feeling, not so much once they hit the water but in dealing with all the ‘stuff’ around it?
We went away for camp in Fuertaventura and it was something of a relief to get out of the bubble of competition and the greater intensity that comes with it being held at home.
We have been working for a long time on building a real culture of their being part of a real team, with support from coaches and others as well as for and from each other.
A home crowd will bring greater anxiety but we are trying to mute the distractions they know that everyone is feeling it. We are talking about the difference between home and away very openly and they are handling it really well.
In terms of the support structures, what do you have on hand for the team?
We have Steve McGyver on board as a psychologist for the team and Kate Kirby from the Institute of Sport is linked in as well. We have a culture the aim of which is to be the best when it matters most and the support structures are all geared towards helping to achieve that.
We have Ciara O’Connor, our physiologist working hard on recovery, Paul Kennealy as our physio and of course our coaches in Dave Malone and Jim Lafferty who have a really strong connection with the team.
Has it been a good thing or otherwise coming so close to the profile of the able-bodied Championships?
It’s been great in terms of gearing up the excitement. People are really buzzed about watching Shane Ryan win his medal in the pool and of course the other medals in rowing, athletics and gymnastics.
They are excited about watching the races, getting into the idea of supporting Irish athletes at this high level and it’s all been adding to the buzz here.
It gives the team something to talk about that is relatable but isn’t all about us.
Some of our team members are really good friends with the team from Glasgow. they train at the same times here at the Campus and there are some of them who will be coming along here to cheer us along.
Is there a home advantage in terms of knowing the facility?
Well we are part of the training and competition regime the same as if we were simply another team but we do know our way around, we know the way the crowd will flow, we know where things are happening and we don’t have to go through the same acclimatising to a new venue as others will have to do.
And how are you dealing with accommodation and transport?
We are preparing for Tokyo and other Championships so we are all staying together and rowing in as part of the regular Championship logistics, just as if we were in any other city.
We are staying in DCU. We chose that because the layout of the accommodation there is similar to what it would be like at a Paralympic Village so again that helps us in preparing for tomorrow as well as today.
Is this the start of the qualification process for Tokyo?
No not yet. The window for qualification opens on january 1st 2019. This is a springboard for next year’s World Championship and it is part of the process.
And finally, what sort of expectation have you set for the swimmers?
We are aiming for a seasonal and personal best target of 65 to 70 percent.
Many will not have competed in a Para Swimming Championship since Rio. It’s harder to achieve that at an able bodied Championships but here with heats and later rounds there is a greater opportunity competing alongside their peers.
All the swimmers are competing in multiple events with Nicole Turner taking in six and all the others doing a minimum of three. It will be busy but we are well prepared and ready to shine.
The Championships will be broadcast live on TG4 between the TV for morning sessions and the TG4 Player for the Finals. There will also be a nightly highlights package on the RTÉ Player for the week and regular updates on news bulletins on TV, Radio and online. Pundit Arena will also be on site producing content for social amplification.
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