In an interview with SwimVortex on May Day 2017 - International Workers' Day in some parts of the world - Ireland's new performance director Jon Rudd revealed what a tour of programs and people he'd just completed in his first two months in post had told him.

Swim Ireland's performance team, he said, would leave no stone, Blarney, heritage or otherwise, unturned. The priority was to build success onshore - while being open to the opportunities of offshore, be those through Irish athletes based overseas or athletes who may not yet have realised they could be racing for Ireland.

Ahead of a look at how Ireland did in our Winners series (we started with David Popovici and Romania) charting the nations who claimed at least 1 gold at the Paris 2014 Olympic Games, below is that 2017 interview, instructive then and in hindsight, from the SwimVortex/SOS library.

The successes of medallists Dan Wiffen, Mona McSharry and their coaches, and finalist Ellen Walshe and her coach, are part of a picture in which 'team' is significant. This archive feature reminds us of how long processes take and of the role of 'team' and the support mechanisms underpinning it when nations commit to professional pursuit of performance sport.