Earl McCarthy competed in the men’s 100 metres and 200 metres freestyle at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, finishing 7th in his heat in the 100 metres (50.99 seconds) and 4th in his heat in the 200 metres (1:53.67).

The OCI’s media handbook described his qualification as ‘one of the greatest examples of sheer will power and single-minded determination.’ A brilliant junior swimmer, McCarthy abandoned an athletic scholarship at California State University when his mother became ill, and serious shoulder injuries subsequently almost forced him to abandon the sport entirely.

After recovering, he concentrated on freestyle events, moved to Hamburg and trained there, establishing new Irish records in the 100 metres freestyle (50.91) and 200 metres freestyle (1:52.58) to qualify for Atlanta.