Getting to the Olympic stage is โ€œthe best reward one can get from their sport,โ€ according to Ballina swimmer Finn McGeever.

He is part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team that will take to the water in Tokyo and the past pupil of St Anneโ€™s Community College in Killaloe is anxious to make a splash.

Now in his second year studying Maths and Physics at the University of Limerick, Finn had been part of the National Transition swimming squad in Limerick, reaching the European Junior Championships in 2018 in Helsinki, Sweden.

Enjoyment has become a key aspect of his performance. โ€œBefore when I was swimming bad, swimming was just my entire life. I was in college and I wasnโ€™t going out much because of swimming and I just think it was the wrong decision. A happy swimmer is a fast swimmer, so I learned to enjoy myselfโ€.

This shift in perspective arrived after he broke his left arm less than two years ago, a run of poor form before the onset of COVID-19 made him question his future in the sport, โ€œI was nearly ready to hang up the hat and goggles,โ€ he admitted.

Regular swims in Lough Derg with his mother Roisin combined with Zoom classes and use of a punching bag helped to find form and speed.

In April, he set the new Irish record for 400m freestyle with a time of 3:52:83 as he knocked a very impressive fifteen seconds off his preliminary time.

For Tokyo, Finn is one of two ‘relay only’ swimmers – Jack McMillan is the other, they will compete alongside Brendan Hyland and Shane Ryan. For the future, he is optimistic, โ€œIโ€™m just hopeful anyway for the future of my swimming just because things are kind of going well and when this is happening, sport almost feels like you canโ€™t be stopped. It just feels greatโ€.

Related News

john moran jennifer carroll macneill patrick o'donovan 1
Minister says option from HIQA review will be decided before Christmas
banner plaza 1
Planning system 'abused' as Uisce ร‰ireann pause works on Supermac's Plaza over judicial review
1 Cutting of Ribbon CI O'Flynn Bench-2
Stone benches unveiled in Eyre Square in memory of O'Gorman & O'Flynn
garda checkpoint ennis 10-04-20 3
Scariff checkpoint uncovers motorist's claim that his car is registered to six year old daughter
Latest News
Screenshot 2025-10-16 111517
Clare Echo Halloween photo contest
john moran jennifer carroll macneill patrick o'donovan 1
Minister says option from HIQA review will be decided before Christmas
o'callaghans mills vs ruan 04-10-25 colm cleary 1
Cleary swaps World Trade Center for Cusack Park in Mills bid for promotion
banner plaza 1
Planning system 'abused' as Uisce ร‰ireann pause works on Supermac's Plaza over judicial review
1 Cutting of Ribbon CI O'Flynn Bench-2
Stone benches unveiled in Eyre Square in memory of O'Gorman & O'Flynn
Premium
Stig hitting top gear as Magpies make final push for promotion
St Flannan's & St Joseph's Tulla come from behind to force draws in Harty Cup first round
Horgan hopeful of more success with Truagh/Clonlara
'There was no getting past our defence' - Kilmihil brought different attitude says captain Currane
Scariff checkpoint uncovers motorist's claim that his car is registered to six year old daughter

Advertisement

Subscribe for just โ‚ฌ3 per month

If youโ€™re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just โ‚ฌ3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter โ‚ฌ8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.