DOUBLE Paralympic champions Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop lead an eight-strong Ireland team to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics European Championships in Swansea next week.
Smyth (right) and McKillop will be confident of adding European titles to the world crowns they claimed last year in Lyon, despite both having their preparations restricted by injury.
Smyth won the 100m at the NI & Ulster Senior Championships and represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Yet he would be the first to admit he is not in his best form and will be content to claim both sprint titles in Wales.
The Derry City Track Club sprinter is currently based in London, where he is coached at the Lea Valley Complex by former British sprint international Clarence Callender.
McKillop has only competed on the track twice this season. He ran a decent 3:59.85 for 1500m in Manchester just over a month ago but recorded only 4:10.01 at a Dublin Graded Meeting earlier this month.
While the latter mark would be sufficient to take the gold medal, the St Malachy's athlete is not happy with his form.
The Ireland team also includes London Paralympic medallist throwers Orla Barry and Catherine O'Neill.
They are joined by wheelchair sprinter John McCarthy, teenage long jumper and sprinter Heather Jameson, shot putt and javelin exponent Lorraine Regan, and newcomer Andrew Flynn, who races in the 5000m.
Springwell athlete Sally Brown represents Britain in the T46 category 100m/200m. Brown, who had a double stress fracture last year, has only competed twice this year.
She was the Commonwealth Games ambassador for Northern Ireland and had planned to take part in the 4x400m relay.
However, that did not happen and the Loughborough-based athlete will be looking to gain some consolation with a medal or two in Swansea.
This will be the fourth edition of the IPC European Championships and has attracted around 600 athletes from 40 countries.
All competitive and training activity will be hosted at the Swansea University International Sports Village which is a permanent facility set just 200m from the beach.
The facilities are modern, of international standard, with appropriate access for people with physical impairment.