SWIM IRELAND Hill, Walshe, Bailey and Davison Continue Charge on Irish Record Books

 

Swim Ireland’s Irish Winter Championships got underway at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre today with over five hundred swimmers from seventy-seven clubs competing in the final meet of 2023.

On the opening night, Danielle Hill and Ellen Walshe starred with new Irish senior records while Grace Davison and Evan Bailey set new Irish junior standards.

Fourteen of the team who competed at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Romania are in action over the three-day meet including bronze medallist Walshe, Irish record breakers Hill, Bailey, Davison, Victoria Catterson, Tom Fannon, and John Shortt; Shane Ryan, Oisin Tebite, Dylan Registe, Liam O’Connor, Maria Godden, Ellie McCartney, and Erin Riordan.

After setting six new Irish records in the 50m Freestyle and 50m and 100m Backstroke at the European Championships last week, Danielle Hill smashed her own 2019 Irish 100m Freestyle record of 53.81 in 53.03. In fifth place Grace Davison broke her own Irish junior record, set last month, of 55.35, in 55.09. Ellen Walshe claimed silver in the final in 53.95 and Victoria Catterson bronze in 54.38.

Earlier in the night Hill had won the 50m Backstroke in 26.67 ahead of Walshe (27.21) and National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen (27.24).

Ellen Walshe, who won bronze in the 400m Individual Medley in Romania last week, continued her fine form, lowering the 200m Individual Medley record she set just six days ago, from 2:08.50 to 2:08.32, claiming gold and her first national title of the week. Ellie McCartney, who starred in the 200m IM Final in Romania with Walshe, was second in 2:10.98, followed by Ards’ Grace Davison (2:15.11).

Evan Bailey broke the Men’s 100m Freestyle Irish junior record twice today. The 18-year-old first broke Jack McMillan’s 2018 record of 48.17 in the heats clocking 48.16. The New Ross swimmer then went on to dip under the forty-eight second mark for the first time in the final in 47.86, to claim gold and the national title. Silver went to National Centre Dublin’s Danny Morgan in 48.86 and bronze to Larne’s Thomas Leggett in 49.45.

Shane Ryan won today’s opening event, the Men’s 50m Backstroke. Ryan touched in 23.79 ahead of Tallaght’s David O’Loughlin (24.85) and NAC’s Matthew Walsh-Hussey (25.54).

Victoria Catterson, who broke the 12-year-old 200m Freestyle Irish Record in Romania last week, won the 800m Freestyle in 8:45.37 followed by Templeogue’s Holly McInerney (8:58.27) and National Centre Limerick’s Ella Carroll (8:59.57).

In the Men’s 800m Freestyle, National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien posted the fastest time clocking 8:08.92. Trojan’s Ronan Fahey claimed silver in 8:12.12, with bronze going to O’Brien’s NCL team-mate Darragh Horgan (8:21.24).

Eoin Corby and Liam O’Connor were the only swimmers under the minute mark in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final. National Centre Dublin’s Corby got the touch in 58.54 ahead Terenure’s O’Connor (59.82). Tuam’s Uiseann Cooked completed the podium in 1:00.17.

In the women’s final National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne topped the podium in 1:06.59, followed closely by National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney (1:06.83) and Portmarnock’s Ava Jones (1:09.30).

National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin (1:55.21) and Brogan McAviney (2:00.01) were the top two swimmers’ home in the men’s 200m Butterfly final, with Glenalbyn’s Sean Donnellan third in 2:01.75.

Alana Burns-Atkin of Banbridge cruised to victory in the women’s 200m Butterfly final clocking 2:13.31 ahead of New Ross’ Eva Bayley (2:19.46) and Lurgan’s Hannah McCabrey (2:23.01).

In the final individual event of the night, the men’s 200m Individual Medley, Mark Szaranek was first home in 1:53.10 to receive a commemorative gold medal. Banbridge’s Jacob Armon won the national title in 2:00.64, with silver going to National Centre Ulster’s Matthew Hand (2:04.74) and bronze to National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn (2:05.96).

Earlier today, the NAC quartet of Matthew Walsh Hussey, Fionn Byrne, Isaac Fitzmaurice and Oisin Tebite won the men’s 200m Freestyle Relay in 1:32.19 ahead of Limerick (1:33.15) and Lisburn (1:33.84). In the women’s event UCD’s Jena Macdougald, Amy Fitzpatrick, Rebecca Lowe, and Naomi Trait combined for gold in 1:47.47 ahead of Larne (1:48.03) and Sundays Well (1:48.15).