Hill Claims Freestyle Gold Larne Break Irish Record of the McCullagh International Meet

Danielle Hill was the sole Irish gold medallist, while Larne’s relay quartet broke the first Irish record of the McCullagh International Meet on the final day of racing at the Bangor Aurora in Co. Down.

Having claimed two silver medals already, Larne’s Danielle Hill finished the weekend dashing to 50m Freestyle gold. Ireland’s fastest ever female swimmer touched in 25.72 ahead of Stirling’s Lucy Hope (25.88) and National Centre Dublin’s Erin Riordan (26.20). National Centre Dublin had another medal in the men’s final as Tom Fannon won bronze in 22.97, while Wycombe’s Adam Barrett sprinted to gold in 22.71.

Larne were crowned National Champions in the 4x100m Medley Relay as the team of Conor Ferguson, Morgan Berryman, Ele Donegan and Hill knocked a massive 9 seconds off the 2018 Irish senior club record held by Ards at 4:10.45. The quartet clocked 4:01.77 and were the first Irish team home behind Swansea University (3:58.77), who received commemorative medals. Ards claimed silver in 4:10.96 with New Ross taking bronze in 4:24.51.

Loughborough’s James WIlby completed a Breaststroke triple adding tonight’s 50m gold to victories in the 100m and 200m Breaststroke earlier in the meet. Wilby was the only swimmer under 28 seconds with a winning time of 27.66. Derventio’s Imogen Clarke won the women’s final in 30.75.

Freya Anderson, who had already won 100m and 200m Freestyle gold, added 400m Freestyle gold in 4:15.27 ahead of her Bath team-mate Holly Hibbott (4:16.56). In the men’s final, winner of the 800m Freestyle and 1500m Freestyle Daniel Jervis of Swansea University cruised to victory in 3:48.89.

Other winners this evening included Brodie Williams (Bath) in the 200m Backstroke in 2:00.54 with Edinburgh’s Katie Shanahan winning the women’s event in 2:11.73. City of Cardiff’s Harriett Jones won the women’s 100m Butterfly final in 59.23 while Bath’s James Guy won the men’s final in 52.75.

Bath’s Tom Dean won the men’s 200m Individual Medley final in 2:01.53 and Abbie Wood (Loughborough) was the gold medallist in the women’s final in 2:11.32.

Ireland’s next national competition will be the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre from the 19th – 23rd April. Swim Ireland’s premier swimming meet has not taken place since April 2019 due to the Covid pandemic. The championship will be part of preparation ahead of a busy Summer which includes World Championships in Hungary, Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and European Championships in Italy, as well as World and European Junior Championships and European Youth Olympic Games.

Notes:

Thursday – Saturday schedule: Prelims: 9am Finals: 5.30pm

Facility information: www.bangoraurora.com

Day 3

Male 50m Freestyle Final 1st A Barrett Wycombe 22.71 2nd David Cumberlidge Edinburgh University 22.96 3rd Tom Fannon Laser 22.97

Female 50m Freestyle Final 1st D Hill Larne 25.72 2nd L Hope Stirling University 25.88 3rd E Riordan NAC 26.20

Male 13/14 years 400m Freestyle Final 1st A Mullen Templeogue 4:38.46 2nd P Cuddihy Kilkenny 4:38.53

Male 50m Breaststroke Final 1st J Wilby Loughborough 27.66 2nd C Benson City of Glasgow 28.32 3rd A Goodburn Edinburgh University 28.44

Female 50m Breaststroke Final 1st I Clark Derventio 30.75 2nd K Hanlon Edinburgh University 31.42 3rd A Morgan Edinburgh University 32.52

Female 400m Freestyle Final 1st F Anderson Bath 4:15.27 2nd Holly Hibbott 4:16.56 3rd Monique Olivier Edinburgh University 4:18.12

Male 200m Backstroke Final 1st B Williams Bath 2:00.54 2nd C McNally Scottish Swimming 2:00.75 3rd C Brooker Bath 2:01.71

Female 200m Backstroke Final 1st K Shanahan Edinburgh University 2:11.73 2nd C Golding Sheffield 2:12.18 3rd I Sacha Greece 2:15.05

Male 13/14 years 200m IM Final 1st R Griffin Cookstown 2:28.93 2nd J Lannon Enniskillen 2:35.07 3rd A Weafer Longford 2:35.30

Female 100m Butterfly Final 1st H Jones City of Cardiff 59.23 2nd L Stephens Loughborough 59.40 3rd T Bruce University of Edinburgh 59.90

Male 100m Butterfly Final 1st J Guy Bath 52.75 2nd J Peters Bath 53.26 3rd E Mildred Bath 53.47

Female 13 years 200m IM Final 1st L O’Brien Limerick 2:34.74 2nd L Jacobs Lurgan 2:37.29 3rd G Walker Banbridge 2:37.49

Male 200m IM Final 1st T Dean Bath 2:01.53 2nd J McFadzen Loughborough 2:02.83 J Litchfield Loughborough 2:03.76

Female 200m IM Final 1st A Wood Loughborough 2:11.32 2nd C Hall Sheffield 2:14.69 3rd K Shanahan Edinburgh University 2:17.10

Male 13/14 years 200m Backstroke Final 1st A Mullen Templeogue 2:27.49 2nd K Laudon Trojan 2:28.67 3rd A Weafer Longford 2:33.89

Female 13 years 200m Backstroke Final 1st L O’Brien Limerick 2:34.45 2nd S Keane Portmarnock 2:35.96 3rd L Dunne Dolphin 2:39.75

Male 400m Freestyle Final 1st D Jervis Swansea University 3:48.89 2nd L Turley Bath 3:53.24 3rd J Bagshaw Limerick 3:54.44

Mixed Open 400m Medley Relay 1st Swansea University 3:58.77 (commemorative) 1st Larne SC 4:01.77 ISR 2nd Ards SC 4:10.96 3rd City of Glasgow 4:09.63 (commemorative) 3rd New Ross SC 4:24.51

Notes:

Thursday – Saturday schedule: Prelims: 9am Finals: 5.30pm

Facility information: www.bangoraurora.com