Ireland’s triple Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Michelle de Bruin has hit back at the barrage of questions she has to deal with about her alleged drugs use.
With a court case pending against four British and Irish newspapers linking her with the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs, de Bruin says the past year has been “chaotic”.
The 26-year-old said it hurt to have to take legal action in her own country.
She said: “Obviously there were things written, or said, or innuendo during the Olympics and just after the Olympics.
“In a way that was something that I expected because of the nature of the competition and because of some people that I knew I was going to have to compete against.
“I was really disappointed about how far it went during Atlanta, but you’ve got to get over it. Swimming is what I do and I just continue to swim .”
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A MASS blanket of confusion, frustration and anger to some extent, casting a dark dank shadow over the Glens of Antrim, was lifted following sports desk investigations late last night.
As a result, Antrim’s county hurling star Gary O’Kane, will play in the All-County Senior Hurling Final at Casement Park tomorrow.
Yesterday morning it was reported that O’Kane had been the subject of a three-month suspension following an investigation into alleged incidents, said to have occurred during the recent Minor Championship clash between Sarsfields and O’Kane’s club Dunloy.
Dunloy take to Casement Park, favourites to lift the Antrim crown at the expense of Rossa aspirations.
The fact that they do so with Gary O’Kane on board, will further emphasise the prediction that Antrim’s hurling title will once again be found in the Glens.
It can be argued Dunloy walked a more straining path to the final and convinced many of their intentions with a 30-point dismantling of county rivals Loughgiel in the semis.
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Vicki Jamison’s 400 metres hurdles bid in the World Student Games ended in crushing disappointment yesterday.
The Lagan Valley runner, who won silver in the World Junior Championships last year, failed to qualify from her semi-final after having major problems with her stride pattern from the off.
Jamison trailed home in 59.33 seconds which was by far her slowest run of the season.
The Newtownards runner stuttered over the first hurdle and never recovered thereafter.
Jamison will have a chance to regain some confidence when she runs the 4x400m relay for the British team in Sicily today.
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BANKER Paddy O’Donnell was the toast of Royal Portrush last night as he clinched his team’s victory over Shandon Park at Lisburn in the Ulster final of the Irish Senior Cup.
Portrush beat Shandon Park 3-2 to qualify for the All-Ireland finals in Dundalk next month.
Royal Portrush 3, Shandon Park 2
(Portrush names first): E Hughes lost to N Anderson at 19th; R Elliott bt M Hoey 4 & 3; C McElderry lost to P Purdy 4 & 3; C Browne bt R Symes 4 & 3; P O’Donnell bt B Hobson 2 & 1.
