Ryan Fifth in Backstroke Final Fannon Sets Freestyle Record Becoming Ireland’s Fastest Ever Swimmer

 

It was a night of close calls for Irish swimmers at the European Aquatics Short Course Championships with a medal and finals just out of reach for the four swimmers in action.

National Centre Dublin’s Shane Ryan got the second night of finals underway in Otopeni, in the final of the 50m Backstroke. The 29-year-old came agonisingly close to Ireland’s third medal of the Championships touching just two hundredths of a second behind the joint bronze medallists.

Ryan’s time of 23.12 secured fifth place overall behind France’s Mewen Tomac (22.84), Germany’s Ole Braunschweig and bronze medallists Lorenzo Mora and Thierry Bollin (23.10).

Speaking after the race Ryan said ‘It’s always difficult when you come into a meet not rested, as you still have expectations and I know what I’m capable of. I will keep a strong mind about it and look at the bigger picture as we’re saying here, so on to bigger and better things.’

Ryan will be back in action tomorrow in the 100m Backstroke Heats.

Tom Fannon was also unlucky to miss out this evening, the National Centre Dublin swimmer, just five hundredths of a second away from the top eight required to make the 50m Freestyle Final. There was a consolation however, as the 25-year-old set a new Irish Record of 21.21, breaking Shane Ryan’s 2021 record of 21.35. Fannon now holds both the short course (25m) and long course (50m) records in the event and claims the title of Ireland’s fastest ever swimmer.

Commenting after the race Fannon said ‘I’m just happy to break the record, so close to 20 seconds, so now that’s the goal, maybe next year, taper coming into the meet. I’d like to see 20, so just keep chasing that.’

After the 50m Freestyle semi-final, it was confirmed that Fannon will have an opportunity for another swim tomorrow. After a four-way tie for tenth place and the second reserve spot, Fannon will compete against three other swimmers at the end of tomorrow’s heats to see if he can secure tenth outright.

Ellen Walshe, who last night claimed a 400m Individual Medley bronze medal, was back in semi-final action in the 100m Individual Medley. The Templeogue swimmer touched in 1:00.11, bettering her time of 1:00.20 from this morning, to finish in tenth place overall.

In the women’s 200m Backstroke semi-final, National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden swam another best time, improving on the 2:07.10 this morning, to a 2:06.71 for eleventh place overall.

Godden was pleased with the swim stating, ‘I’m delighted, that’s just under four seconds personal best in the 200m Backstroke just this year so I’m pleased to see all the training and hard work paying off, especially as short course wouldn’t be my strongest suit, so this is really positive heading into long course (50m) season now in January’.

Eleven Irish swimmers will be in action tomorrow, with Daniel and Nathan Wiffen already confirmed for the 1500m Freestyle Final at 5.04pm (Ireland).

2023 European Aquatics SC Swimming Championships (Otopeni, Romania)

 

Day 2 – Wednesday 6th December l Results

Women’s 200m Backstroke Maria Godden           2:07.10 (12th)            SF 2:06.71 (11th)      

Men’s 50m Freestyle            Tom Fannon  21.56 (16th)   SF 21.21 (10th) ISR   

Dylan Registe 22.50 (43rd)               

Oisin Tebite   22.87 (45th)               

Men’s 100m Breaststroke    Liam O’Connor          1:00.25 (29th)                        

Women’s 100m IM    Ellen Walshe  1:00.20 (10th)            SF 1:00.11 (10th)      

Grace Davison           1:02.47 (25th)                        

Men’s 1500m Freestyle        Daniel Wiffen            14:34.50 (1st)             

Nathan Wiffen          14:39.34 (7th)                        

Men 100m Backstroke         Shane Ryan    23.52 (6th)     SF 23.19 (6th) F 23.12 (5th)

 

Day 3 – Thursday 7th December l Schedule (All times Irish)

Women’s 100m Freestyle                Victoria Catterson, Grace Davison, Erin Riordan

Women’s 200m Breaststroke          Ellie McCartney

Men’s 100m Backstroke       Shane Ryan, John Shortt

Women’s 50m Backstroke   Danielle Hill, Grace Davison, Maria Godden

Men’s 1500m Freestyle Final           Daniel Wiffen, Nathan Wiffen

Note to Editor:

Tuesday – Sunday schedule: Prelims: 07:30 / Finals: 16:00 (Ireland)

Live Results

Live Stream

2023 European Aquatics Championships (25m), Bucharest, Romania

Name  Home Programme    Home Coach

Evan    Bailey  New Ross SC  Fran Ronan

Victoria          Catterson       National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Grace  Davison          Ards SC           Curtis Coulter

Tom    Fannon           National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Maria  Godden          National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Danielle          Hill      Larne SC         Peter Hill

Ellie     McCartney National Centre (Limerick)      John Szaranek

Max     McCusker Millfield School   Ryan Livingstone

Liam    O'Connor       Project 28/Terenure SC       Andrew Addison

Dylan  Registe           Lisburn City SC          Stan Sheppard

Erin     Riordan          National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Shane Ryan   National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

John    Shortt National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Oisin   Tebite National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Ellen    Walshe           Templeogue SC         Brian Sweeney

Daniel Wiffen            Loughborough University    Andi Manley

Nathan           Wiffen            Loughborough University    Andi Manley

Issued by Swim Ireland, whose Performance Programme is supported and funded by Sport Ireland & Sport Northern Ireland.