Stars set to line up at National Aquatic Centre for Irish Open Swimming Championships

The Irish Open Swimming Championships get under way on Saturday at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre in Dublin and the five-day event will see almost 500 swimmers from 70 clubs compete for national titles in 34 individual events, with places also up for grabs on seven national teams.

The meeting will be the final opportunity for swimmers to post consideration times for this summer’s international events, including the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan and the inaugural European Under-23 Championships in Dublin.

Daniel Wiffen and Mona McSharry have already been preselected for the Worlds based on their performances at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and European Championships respectively.

Olympians Danielle Hill, Darragh Greene, Ellen Walshe and Finn McGeever will also compete in Dublin, while Shane Ryan make a welcome return after a period out of action.

Those who eventually line up at the World Championships will have the first opportunity for Irish swimmers to post an Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) for Paris 2024.

Paralympic medallists Ellen Keane and Nicole Turner, Róisín Ní Ríain and Barry McClements are already under consideration for the World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester in August having met the minimum qualification standards.

Speaking ahead of the event, Swim Ireland national performance director Jon Rudd commented: "Time flies as always in performance sport, and with only a few days to go until the Irish Open Championships begins, excitement is mounting, particularly at the prospect of so many national team places up for grabs this summer.

"The World Championships in July is the first of three opportunities for our athletes to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games, so a secured place on this team