The amazing story of how Athenry AC and Predator Tri Club member Seb Locteau saved the day for the Irish Olympic Swim Team in Beijing. Seb is the editor of Irish Running website www.runIreland.com

You'd have to take your hat off to the man...!

We'll let Seb tell the story in his own words,

"On Sunday evening at 5 pm I received a text from a friend of mine, Deidre McGrath from Galway who is in Beijing. She explain that the Irish swim caps are not allowed because they do not comply to the Olympic rules. After talking to my friend Earl McCarthy (Olympic swimmer in Atlanta for Ireland in 1996) I got in contact with the CEO of swim Ireland, which explain to me the situation. It seems that the shamrock is too big for the caps, and should fit in 32 square centimetre, but also that the shamrock would not represent Ireland on TV because most of the people in different countries would not know that the shamrock symbol is for Ireland.

I contacted my manufacturer in China but it was night there so decided to design the caps until 1am when they will wake up in china (7 hours ahead).To make the cap was a huge favour, and the Chinese factory was very supportive and made this their top priority. At 5am Irish time they told me the cap would not be able to be delivered until Wednesday morning because they are too far from Beijing and it would have to go by plane as well as that the security is so high they would not be able to deliver in the Olympic village or the Aquatic Centre. I also discover that the manufactory was 4/5 days driving away from Beijing when I ask the guy how much it would cost for them to drive down (I thought they were only 30miles away) After hours of work and calling in Beijing, I found a private plane which will fly at 4h30pm Irish time (20.30 there) and would be arriving in Beijing Airport at 23.30 Beijing time.

At the same time Deidre organised a local person Christine Chang to pick up the swim caps, she had to wait 2 hours clearance and had to try to make sure she was back before 3am, where cars are not allow to drive.

I received a text this morning at 1am thanking runireland, I hope I will see those hats on the Irish athletes, because I am sure they are made of gold, and certainly the most expensive caps in the all Olympic games in 2008 maybe ever."

Text & Video coverage from RTE here...

http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics2008/2008/0812/breea.html

http://www.irishtriathlon.com/swimcomans/video/sebbeijin/seb.html