Bree to swim on for Ireland

ANDREW BREE will continue to swim for Ireland despite failing to make the country’s Olympic team this year.

The Northern Ireland native toyed with the idea of declaring for Britain but he is now planning to swim for Ireland in next year’s World Championships.

“To miss out on qualifying for the Olympics by really only a fingernail was a huge disappointment, but these things happen in life,” said Bree.

The 24-year-old will return to his US base in Tennessee next month.

In addition to the World Championships in Montreal next July, Bree is also aiming towards competing in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.

After being ignored by selection by the Olympic Council of Ireland for the Athens Games, Bree then turned down Swim Ireland’s offer of a place in the European Short Course Championships in Vienna.

“I’m happy with the structures of Irish swimming now and happy where I am,” he said.