Meegan’s hard work rewarded

Andrew Meegan reached a crossroads last January and knew there was only one avenue open to fulfil his potential.

Having left Swim Ireland’s High Performance base in April of 2011, Meegan spent more than 18 months training with the Aer Lingus club in North Dublin, but realised change was crucial if a seat at the top table was to be earned.

What began as three days a week at the National Aquatic Centre, operating in the company of Barry Murphy and Brendan Hyland, has evolved into full-time training in Blanchardstown — a string of national records testament to the strides made.

The 23-year-old shaved more than 22 seconds off his 1,500m freestyle best this summer and travels to the European Short Course Championships in Herning, Denmark on Thursday with realistic ambitions of a top-eight place.

“After this summer, my coach Alan Turner and I decided I needed to go full-time at the NAC to maintain improvement,” said Meegan.

“What helps is there is a good group of distance lads up here and it really helps training with them. I am training every day with Brendan Hyland, Brendan Gibbons, Conor Turner and Barry Murphy, and you are influenced by all of them.

“I am really enjoying swimming full-time. I started a Masters in September and thankfully I have been able to split the course over two years and I am slowly managing the balancing act. I haven’t really rested properly for these European Short Course Championships, but I still want to do well.”

Meegan enjoyed a terrific outing at the national championships a fortnight ago, knocking two seconds off his 1,500m PB as well as clocking 7:59.92 over 800m, the first Irish swimmer to break the eight-minute mark for the distance.

“It really was a great summer, a summer of progression,” he says. “To make the final of the 1,500m freestyle at the World University Games was a big achievement and then to finish sixth in the final was great because I had only qualified in eighth.”