Coyne targeting strong display in Euros
AFTER enjoying a clean sweep in all three of her breaststroke events at the recent Swim Ireland Irish Open Championship, Niamh Coyne is hoping she can make a real impact at this summer’s European Championships in Rome.
The Tallaght and National Centre swimmer struck gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke finals at the National Aquatic Centre last month, carding tremendous European Championship consideration times in the two longer-distance events.
Now the Ballycullen woman is hoping to maintain that progress on the continental stage for which she will be drawing on all her international experience so far.
“I went to the European Championships in 2021, but I only swam one event there because they were focusing more on relays” Coyne explained.
“I had been to the European Short Course Swimming Championships before and I’ve been to World Championship and World Short Course as well.
“The more you race, the more confident you get, and my form, even this year, makes me feel like I can do this.
“I’d love to get to a semi-final or a final at the Europeans. I think I’m focusing more on the 200m this year, so hopefully I’ll be at least able to make it to a semi-final in that event” she told The Echo.
Delighted with her treble at the Irish Open, Coyne said “I always felt that was possible.
“Going into it, I wasn’t thinking I was going to win gold. I was just thinking more about that I wanted to qualify for the Europeans, get those European Championship times.
“That was more my thoughts going into that weekend, but I was really happy to win all three events.
“I felt really good going into those Championships because we had gone to an altitude training camp in France about two or three weeks before and we were there for three weeks. So I was really confident going into it [the Irish Open]” she said.
While this summer’s Europeans will mark her next major international, Coyne may get the opportunity to prepare for them at the 2022 Mare Nostrum Series which will include stops in Spain and France.
The Irish Age Group Championships in July may also offer some timely preparation.
