Regional Programme 24/25

A progressive and targeted Regional Programme is a key tactic in achieving Swim Ireland’s Performance objectives for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. The Regional Programme will sit directly below the National Programme and will display alignment to it in terms of principles and content and will not operate as standalone programmes.

Swim Ireland Performance will operate a three tiered Regional Programme encompassing a ‘Skills Academy’ cohort for Age Group athletes, a ‘Development Programme’ cohort for Youth athletes and a ‘Pathway Programme’ for senior athletes. An athlete can potentially be a member of the Skills Academy for two years before progressing to the Development Programme which provides support to athletes as they aim to achieve National Programme selection within a one to four year period. The Pathway Programme supports those athletes who may miss out on National Programme selection or who develop later in the sport. The Programme aims to support athletes as they endeavour to reach their full potential at senior national and/or international level. Athletes do not have to have been members of the one particular cohort in a previous season before achieving selection to another cohort.

 

Regional Skills Academy

Age Groups: Male and Female athletes born 2011/2012

Maximum Athlete Quota: Up to 36 athletes per region

Athlete Selection: Head of Performance Pathways and Operations and Regional Development Coach

Selection Criteria

  • Results from all Level 3 (or higher) meets held between 1st January and 14th July 2024 will be combined and converted to long course using Hytek.
    • Results from the Future Challengers will not be included
  • Athletes will be ranked as follows for selection purposes
    • Athletes ranked Top 6 in the 200m IM per age group in each Region
    • Athletes ranked Top 3 per age group in each Region in a minimum of two of the following eligible events:

i. Born 2012 – 50m Freestyle, 100m and 200m all four strokes

ii. Born 2011 – 50m Freestyle, 100m and 200m all four strokes, 400m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley

  • In the case where more than 36 athletes within a Region achieve the above criteria, selection will be based on the National Rankings in the events from which the athlete has been considered
  • In the case where less than 36 athletes within the Region achieve the above criteria, additional selections may be made from first, second, third etc ranked swimmers in eligible individual events until the maximim numbers are achieved.

 

Find out more about the selection criteria and the programme here 

 

Regional Development Programme Stage 1

Age Groups: Male and Female athletes born 2009/2010

Athlete Quota: Minimum quota of 12 athletes and a maximum quota of 22 athletes per Region

Athlete Selection: Head of Performance Pathways & Operations and Regional Pathway Development Coach/s

Selection Criteria:

  •  Female athletes born 2009 will have produced a performance in an Olympic event which meets one of the published individual Consideration Standards at one of the Identification Meets (see pages 10, 11 and 12 of the Regional Development Plan for details)
  • Male athletes born 2009 or 2010 and Female athletes born 2010 will have produced either:
    • Performances in two or more Olympic events which meet the published individual event Consideration Standards at one of the Identification Meets (see pages 10, 11 and 12 of the Regional Development Plan for details)
    • A performance in one Olympic 200m, 400m, 800m or 1500m event which meets the published individual event Consideration Standards at one of the Identification Meets  (see pages 10, 11 and 12 of the Regional Development Plan for details)
  • In the case where more than the Regionally agreed quota of athletes within a Region achieve the criteria outlined in Selection Criteria 1 or 2, athletes will be ranked as a percentage inside of the Consideration Standard in the event which gives them the highest percentage inside the Standard to meet the agreed athlete quota
  • In the case where less than the Regionally agreed quota of athletes achieve the criteria outlined in Selection Criteria 1 or 2, additional athletes from the Region may be added at the discretion of the selectors, ranked as a percentage outside of the Consideration Standard in the event which gives them the lowest percentage outside of the Standard to meet the agreed athlete quota
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Find out more about the selection criteria and the programme here 

 

Regional Development Programme Stage 2

Age Groups: Male and Female athletes born 2007/2008

Athlete Quota: Minimum quota of 8 athletes and a maximum of 16 athletes per Region

Athlete Selection: Head of Performance Pathways & Operations and Regional Pathway Development Coach/s

Selection Criteria:

  • Athletes must achieve at least one of the published individual event Consideration Standards at one of the Identification Meets (see pages 10, 11 and 12 of the Regional Development Plan for details) 
  • In the case where more than the Regionally agreed quota of athletes within a Region achieve the criteria outlined in Selection Criteria 1, athletes will be ranked as a percentage inside of the Consideration Standard in the event which gives them the highest percentage inside the Standard to meet the agreed athlete quota
  • In the case where less than the Regionally agreed quota of athletes achieve the criteria outlined in Selection Criteria 1, additional athletes from the Region may be added at the discretion of the selectors, ranked as a percentage outside of the Consideration Standard in the event which gives them the lowest percentage outside of the Standard to meet the agreed athlete quota

Find out more about the selection criteria and the programme here 

 

Regional Pathway Programme

Age Groups: Male athletes born 2004-2006 and Female athletes born 2005/2006

Maximum Athlete Quota: 8 athletes

Athlete Selection: Head of Performance Pathways & Operations and Regional Pathway Development Coach/s

Selection Criteria:

  • Athletes must achieve at least one of the published individual event Consideration Standards at one of the Identification Meets. (see pages 10, 11 and 12 of the Regional Development Plan for details)
  • When making selections, the following criteria will be considered:
    • Performance profile between 2021 and 2024
    • Current level of support versus the required level of support to progress to the National Programme
  • In the case where more than 8 athletes achieve the criteria outlined in Selection Criteria 1 and 2, athletes will be ranked as a percentage inside of the Consideration Standard in the event which gives them the highest percentage inside the Standard to meet the maximum quota of 8 athletes (minimum 3 Male and 3 Female 

Find out more about the selection criteria and the programme here