Hyland and Coyne gear up for World Championships
TALLAGHT swimmers Brendan Hyland and Niamh Coyne will, next week, line out in the World Short Course Champion-ships in China.
Both athletes have enjoyed a really impressive year, with 100m and 200m Butterfly specialist Hyland having delivered more national records and a tenth place finish in the European Senior Championship 200m, while Coyne took silver in the 100m Breaststroke at this year’s Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
Tallaght Swim Club's Brendan Hyland is competing in China
Speaking to The Echo before flying out to China, Hyland said “I think I’ve taken big strides over the winter, even more so than in the summer.
“I’m feeling the benefits of the training even more now and I’m excited about going to these championships.
“I’m quietly confident I could do a really good time at world level. I’ve been doing PBs in training.
“But it’s a World Championship and it’ll be tough. If I’m to make a final only the best seven swimmers in the world can be ahead of you” he stressed.
A strong performance in China will provide the perfect springboard into 2019 for Hyland and Coyne both of whom will be targeting the World Championships in South Korea in July.
Hyland is also keeping one eye on the prospect of Olympic qualification, insisting he has every chance of making the cut if he maintains his current rate of progression.
“It’s absolutely doable” he said. “It’s pretty much the top 16 in the World that go, so you have to make a World Championship semi final.
“I did a time of 1.57:2 [in the European Senior Championship] and 1.56 could see you into a semi final, so if I can drop half a second or a second, I could do it.”
For Coyne, who is the youngest member of the Ireland squad competing in China, she will be looking to soak up the experience of lining out in her first senior international.
