Swim Ireland recently identified a group of female athletes capable of qualifying a Female 800m Freestyle relay to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris called the F4-24.

This would be the first Irish Female relay team to qualify for an Olympic Games in over 50 years, with the first and only occasion that this has occurred being in 1972.

Qualification can be achieved via the 2023 FINA World Championships (50m) in Doha or the 2024 LEN European Championships (50m), with the venue for this event yet to be confirmed.

Following the long course racing performances in the 2018-2019 season local swimmers, Emilie Reihill, Cora Rooney and Ellie McCartney have been identified as part of a group of female athletes to form the ‘F4-24 Programme’ from September 2019 through to the 2024 LEN European LC Championships. Ellie McCartney (14) won the 200m Freestyle event in her age group at the Ulster Long Course Championships in March and the Mary Peters Open in June. Cora Rooney (14) finished third in the Ulster Long Course and eighth in the Irish Summer Championships in July.

Emilie Reihill (13) has had a fantastic year and finished fourth in the Mary Peters Open in June in 200m Freestyle as well as a top 20 placing in the Summer Championships in the ultra-competitive 100m Freestyle.

The three Enniskillen Lakelander swimmers now have the opportunity to swim regularly at the Swim Ireland session at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin. This is a massive commitment on top of their home 12-hour programme with their coach Aaron Rickhuss.

As part of their performances at the Irish Summer Nationals in the 100m Backstroke and the 100m Breaststroke respectively, Cora Rooney and Ellie McCartney, have qualified for the Swim Ireland “In Touch” programme also at the NAC in Dublin where they will have access to additional training sessions with Ireland’s top swimming coaches and alongside the country’s top swimmers.

This is a perfect way for these swimmers to start the season on a high.