05/16/17 In Briefs Around The World: Limerick, Manly, Armenia & Macon

University of Limerick Pool Upgrades…..Ireland’s Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, has announced a pool upgrades investment of €387,450 (~429,000 USD) for the aquatic facility within the University of Limerick. “I am delighted to be able to make this announcement for UL. The fifty metre pool in UL is a national centre of excellence for swimming and other aquatic sports in Ireland. It is, as we all know, the first fifty metre Olympic size pool in the State, and I want to make sure it’s national importance is maintained. That is why I was anxious through my Department to deliver this funding.” Of the upgrades being made, O’Donovan states, “When completed, it will allow the pool to again be easily adaptable for competitive, as well as recreational swimming. UL have always prided themselves in having their facilities available both to high performance athletes and the local community and this investment will allow that continue in the pool.”

Manly Pool Named After Aussie Olympians…..A new 8-lane indoor pool in Manly, the beachside suburb of northern Sydney within the state of New South Wales, Australia has been named after two Olympic gold medalists originally from the area. The Devitt-Healy Pool bears the names of John Devitt, part of the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay that won gold at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne and Cecil Healy, a member of the same relay, but much earlier, having competed at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. “In 1912 we won the gold and in 1956 we won the gold medal and in 2000 we won the gold — there was 44 years between­ each of those wins,” Devitt said. “I asked the guy upstairs ‘can I watch the fourth one’, but he hasn’t given me an answer­ yet.” Healy was killed in Somme in 1918, just 74 days before the WWI Armistice was signed.

Conway Enters Macon Sports Hall of Fame…..The most decorated swimmer in Macon, Georgia history, 3-time scholastic All-American high schooler and later-Georgia Bulldog national champion Laura Conway has been inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame. While at Georgia, Conway earned All American status 5 times, while claiming an SEC title in the 500y freestyle and a 2006 NCAA title in that same event. She qualified for the U.S. national team for the World University Games in 2006, but opted to retire. She is the 2nd youngest person ever selected to enter the Macon Sports Hall of Fame.

Armenia Names World Championships Roster…..Armenia will see 4 swimmers represent the nation at the FINA World Chapionshps set for July in Budapest. Under the leadership of Head Coach Misak Gabrielyan, the athltes of Vahan Mkhitaryan, Vladimir Mamikonyan, Ani Poghosyan and Elena Yesayan will be competing in Budapest. Aremia will also be sending swimmers to the Summer Youth Olympic Festival in Hungary as well, including Artur Baghdasaryan and Varsenik Manucharyan.