Swimmer Nick D'Arcy still hopeful of competing in Beijing

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Dumped swimmer Nick D'Arcy was focused on competing at the Beijing Olympics and still training towards the August Games, he told reporters on Monday.

D'Arcy was kicked off the Australian Olympic squad on Friday by Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) chairman John Coates for bringing the team into disrepute after being charged with assault stemming from an incident in a Sydney nightclub last month.

He appeared in a Sydney court on Monday, where prosecutors withdrew one charge of assault against him.

He is now facing just one charge of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm during the incident in which Commonwealth swimming champion Simon Cowley was punched, allegedly by D'Arcy.

The 20-year-old butterfly specialist has appealed the AOC's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and told reporters outside the Sydney court that he remained hopeful of a positive hearing from the Lausanne-based organization.

"I'm still pretty optimistic about the outcome," he said, adding he was still committed to competing in Beijing.

D'Arcy's criminal case has been adjourned until June 17. He did not enter a plea on Monday.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by John O'Brien)

("Countdown to Beijing Olympics" blog at blogs.reuters.com/china)