Athlone's Robbie set for European Championships

Athlone swimmer Robbie Powell will be among those taking part for Swim Ireland in the 2022 LEN European Aquatics Championships in Rome this week.

Spearheaded by Tokyo Olympic finalist Mona McSharry, the confirmed travelling team is an exciting 17-strong Irish athlete presence of both experience and youth.

2021 World Championships medallist Mona McSharry will be without her fellow World Championship-medal winning training partner Ellen Walshe in Rome, with Walshe withdrawing from the team on medical grounds.

The Ireland team has been blighted somewhat with a number of medical-related withdrawals including those of Jordan Sloan, Conor Ferguson and Molly Mayne, all now unable to travel on similar grounds. Jack McMillan has also withdrawn from the team, declaring that it is his intention to make himself available for selection for Great Britain from this point forwards.

The Championships will see a return to international racing for Shane Ryan who has carefully managed his training over the last nine months following a shoulder operation to deal with the issue that forced him to withdraw from backstroke racing in Tokyo. Ryan’s progress since this time has been encouraging and his racing commitments in Rome will be considered on a day-to-day basis, with his ability to compete successfully in the Paris Olympic Games that of paramount importance.

Olympians Danielle Hill, Darragh Greene, Finn McGeever, Brendan Hyland and Tanya Watson will all feature as part of the team in Rome, as will Victoria Catterson, Niamh Coyne, Robert Powell, Eoin Corby, Max McCusker, Clare Cryan and Ciara McGing. Commonwealth medallist Daniel Wiffen has elected not to compete in this competition, having already featured in Birmingham and at the World Championships in Budapest this season.

Ellie McCartney, Grace Hodgins and Liam Custer are the youngest members of the team, earning their place on a senior Irish team in favour of an appearance at the World Junior Championships. McCartney was unable to compete in her primary event at the recent European Junior Championships for medical reasons and will relish this additional opportunity provided to her on the back of this disappointment.

Competition in Rome commences on Thursday for Swimming, and on Monday week for Diving.