The 25th World University Games gets underway this week in Belgrade, with the Irish team confident of success at the competition.

The camp is in an upbeat mood in the Serbian capital ahead of the campaign kicking off on 30 June when the footballers take to the field to play their first round matches. The men taking on Uruguay at FC Indjija just outside the capitalm and the women, who made it to the semi-final in 2007, face Japan.

Five Olympians from the 2008 Beijing Games feature in the 69-strong Colleges and University Sports Association of Ireland (CUSAI) squad - Fionnuala Britton and Joanne Cuddihy on the track, Melanie Nocher in the pool, Eileen O'Keeffe in the hammer, and Siobhan Byrne in fencing.

The student athletes will compete in athletics, fencing, football (men's and women's), swimming, taekwondo and tennis for the biennial competition.

Team Ireland Chef de Mission, Paul Davis, said: "This year we have as strong a set up as we have ever had in the competition and would hope that our athletes will perform well in Belgrade."

"The fact that the team has five Olympians in its ranks shows the high calibre of sport at third-level institutions across Ireland. The commitment by the coaching, background staff and athletes has been second to none in preparation for these games and we hope that this hard work will yield success."

In track and field, there are high hopes for success after Eileen O'Keeffe notched up a silver in the hammer throw in the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. This will be the Kilkenny athlete's fourth world games and shows promising signs of medalling again this year carrying on from competing in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Fionnuala Britton has also been on top form in international university competition picking up an individual silver and team bronze in the cross-country at last year's World University Championships in Mauquenchy, France.

The official opening ceremony of the 2009 World University Games takes place on 1 July.

This team is packed with exciting fencers, and packed with winners. Go out and express yourselves..!

Fencing

Siobhan Byrne - (Ohio State University, USA)
Andrew Fenwick - (University of Ulster)

Team Manager: Nuala McGarrity (Fencing Federation of Ireland)

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