Banks: Swimmers on the right road

Ireland may not be claiming any medals in London’s Aquatic Centre this month but Swim Ireland’s National Performance Director believes the time is fast approaching when the country’s elite swimmers will be targeting podium places on the world stage.

Peter Banks yesterday described the four-strong team of Gráinne Murphy, Barry Murphy, Melanie Nocher and Sycerika McMahon as the best prepared in Irish history but stressed the bar must continue to be raised in the years to come.

All four qualified for the Games with A standards and, in that, Banks described them as a vanguard for a new generation to come.