The International Swimming League’s inaugural season has the entire swimming community buzzing. The athletes are blown away by the production of the event and how enjoyable their experiences have been, while the fans have found it to be extremely exciting to watch and follow along with.
One swimmer who will get the unique perspective of both sides is Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, who was absent from the London Roar’s first two matches but will finally make her debut this weekend at the European-derby.
From the outside, O’Connor has liked what she’s seen from the ISL, and cannot wait to finally get a taste of it first-hand.
“I’m so excited, I’ve been looking forward to it for months,” said O’Connor, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist in the women’s 200 individual medley. “The ISL is an amazing thing to be a part of, and the way it has transformed the swimming world already is incredible.”
“I have loved seeing the amazing atmosphere poolside and the competitive team element that the league has created. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever seen in swimming before. It’s been so good to watch the world’s best swimmers come together and have such a great time doing what they love together.”
Despite missing a few key swimmers, including O’Connor, the London Roar have been unstoppable through their first two matches this season, rolling to wins in both to sit in a tie atop the Euro-standings with Energy Standard.
“I’ve been so impressed by London Roar,” said the 23-year-old. “They have smashed the first two rounds and I’m really proud to be part of such a great team. I always knew we had such a strong team on paper, but it’s all about coming together and giving great performances on the day, and London Roar have definitely done that, and I can’t wait to be with the team at the London leg.”
A native of Bath, England, O’Connor not only has the opportunity to make her league debut on home soil, but also in front of her club’s home crowd.
“London is my favorite pool in the world and holds so many great memories for me, so I’m hoping to make some more,” she said.
The two-time World Championship gold medalist specializes in the individual medley, and that ability across all four strokes gives her the capacity to jump in and race whatever she’s called upon.
“I think it’s likely I’ll be swimming some of the relays and breaststroke events, too,” she said.
With the 200 IM being her best event, O’Connor will have some stiff competition to face when she steps on the blocks in London, namely Iron team captain Katinka Hosszu, the reigning Olympic champion, World Champion, and world record holder.
“It’s definitely always a great opportunity to be able to compete against the best in the world. And the events I will be in will have such a strong field, so I’m excited to try and get some points on the board for London Roar.”
About the ISL: The International Swimming League is a global professional swimming competition launching in 2019 with teams in both Europe (Italy-based Aqua Centurions, France-based Energy Standard, Hungary-based Iron, and London Roar) and the United States (Cali Condors, DC Trident, LA Current, NY Breakers). The inaugural season will include matches in Indianapolis IN, Naples ITA, Lewisville TX, Budapest HUN, College Park MD, London GBR, and the championship finale at the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. The ISL aims to create groundbreaking projects, in both form and content, exploring the full potential of competitive swimming while securing sustainable commercial growth in the sport.
Key Dates:
5-6 October 2019 – IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, USA
12-13 October 2019 – Aquatic Swimming Complex, Naples, Italy
19-20 October 2019 – The LISD Westside Aquatic Center, Lewisville, Texas, USA
26-27 October 2019 – Duna Area, Budapest, Hungary
16-17 November 2019 – Natatorium at the Eppley Recreation Center, Maryland, USA
23-24 November 2019 – London Aquatic Centre, Great Britain
20-21 December 2019 – Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, USA
ISL SOCIAL: Keep up with all the latest ISL news by following @iswimleague on Instagram and Twitter and @internationalswimmingleague on Facebook. Visit https://isl.global
Media Contact: James Mulligan ([email protected])
International Swimming League Ltd
Alfred-Escher-Strasse 17, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland
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