McMillan and Ferguson Win Gold on Day Two of McCullagh International

 

There were two Irish winners as Swim Ireland’s McCullagh International continued in Bangor, Co. Down this evening, where over 800 swimmers are competing in the first national long course (50m) meet of the season.

Bangor Swimming Clubs Jack McMillan undoubtedly had the swim of the night as he beat reigning Olympic Champion Tom Dean in the 200m Freestyle, adding to his 100m Freestyle victory from Thursday night. McMillan, who competed at the Tokyo Games as part of Ireland’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay, had the fastest time coming out of this morning’s preliminaries of 1:50.44, in this evening’s final McMillan lead throughout touching in 1:48.24, ahead of Dean in 1:48.45. James Guy finished the podium in 1:49.63.

Conor Ferguson took gold in the 100m Backstroke Final, his specialist event. The Larne swimmer clocked 55.63, to add to Thursday’s 50m Backstroke Bronze, ahead of Bath’s Jono Adam (55.80) and Swansea University’s Joseph Small. Swansea’s Medi Harris claimed gold in the women’s final in 59.24, the only swimmer under the minute mark.

In the 200m Breaststroke finals, there were three Irish medallists. Loughborough’s James Wilby claimed the men’s gold in 2:12.66 ahead of Ireland’s Uiseann Cooke (2:15.23) and Eoin Corby (2:17.57). While National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne claimed bronze in the women’s final in 2:27.84 behind Loughborough’s Molly Renshaw (2:26.55) and Abbie Wood (2:26.84).

Trojan’s Grace Hodgins added 800m Freestyle silver to yesterday’s 1500m Freestyle gold. The 17-year-old broke 9 minutes in the event for the first time in 8:57.94, behind City of Sheffield’s Ashleigh Baillie (8:51.36).

Tokyo Olympian Danielle Hill claimed her second silver medal of the meet, this time in the 50m Butterfly. The Larne swimmer was home in 27.07 behind City of Cardiff’s Harriet Jones in 26.71. Wycombe’s Adam Barrett won the men’s final in 24 seconds.

Other winners on day two in Bangor included Loughborough’s Charlie Hutchison in the 400m Individual Medley in 4:22.91. Freya Anderson of Bath was the only swimmer under two minutes in the 200m Freestyle to claim gold in 1:59.66.  The final individual event of the night saw Daniel Jervis of Swansea University double up on distance gold as he cruised to win the 1500m Freestyle Final in 14:51.92.

Ards women and Larne men were crowned national champions in today’s relay events. Ards, represented by Grace Davison, Ellie McCartney, Ellie McKibbin, and Victoria Catterson were the first Irish team to touch the wall in 3:57.36 behind visiting teams Derventio (3:53.00) and Swim Wales (3:54.81). Larne’s Thomas Leggett, Lorcan Gourley, Morgan Berryman and Conor Ferguson then combined in the men’s event for a time of 3:35.71 and were the first Irish team home behind Swansea University (3:25.67).

Competition continues tomorrow.

Notes:

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

Facility information: www.bangoraurora.com

Day 2

Male 400m IM Final 1st C Hutchison Loughborough 4:22.91 2nd J Greenow Bath 4:25.51 3rd A Allison Scottish Swimming 4:27.45

Female 50m Butterfly Final 1st H Jones City of Cardiff 26.71 2nd D Hill Larne 27.07 3rd I Clarke Derventio 27.27

Male 13/14 200m Freestyle Final 1st A Weafer Longford 2:07.88 2nd D McAlinden Lurgan 2:11.00 3rd R Griffin Cookstown 2:11.51

Female 13 years200m Freestyle Final 1st L Dunne Dolphin 2:17.38 2nd L O’Brien Limerick 2:17.74 3rd A Cunningham Kilkenny 2:21.54

Male 50m Butterfly Final 1st A Barrett Wycombe 24.00 2nd J Peters Bath 24.03 3rd L Fraser Swansea University 24.09

Female 200m Breaststroke Final 1st M Renshaw Loughborough 2:26.55 2nd A Wood Loughborough 2:26.84 3rd N Coyne National Centre Dublin 2:27.84

Male 200m Breaststroke Final 1st J Wilby Loughborough 2:12.66 2nd U Cooke Edinburgh University 2:15.23 3rd E Corby National Centre Limerick 2:17.57

Female 200m Freestyle Final 1st F Anderson Bath 1:59.66 2nd C Hall City of Sheffield 1:01.67 3rd L Hope University of Stirling 2:02.14

Female 100m Backstroke Final 1st M Harris Swansea University 59.24 2nd K Dawson University of Stirling 1:01.47 3rd C Golding City of Sheffield 1:01.48

Male 100m Backstroke Final 1st C Ferguson Larne 55.63 2nd J Adam Bath 55.80 3rd J Small Swansea University 55.98

Female 13 years 200m Breaststroke Final 1st L O Brien Limerick 2:54.91 2nd L Dunne Dolphin 3:00.14 3rd G Walker Banbridge 3:00.45

Male 200m Freestyle Final 1st J McMillan Bangor 1:48.24 2nd T Dean Bath 1:48.45 3rd J Guy 1:49.63

Male 13/14 years 200m Breaststroke Final 1st B Wilson Ards 2:46.34 2nd J Lannon Enniskillen 2:48.24 3rd L Merrigan Dolphin 2:49.24

Female 800m Freestyle Final 1st A Baillie City of Sheffield 8:51.36 2nd G Hodgins Trojan 8:57.94 3rd L Hodgson Scottish Swimming 9:06.44

Male 1500m Freestyle Final 1st D Jervis Swansea University 14:51.92 2nd N Hughes Swansea University 15:42.20 3rd T Melbourne-Smith Swim Wales 15:43.36

Female Open 400m Freestyle Relay 1st Derventio 3:53.00 (commemorative) 1st Ards 3:57.36 2nd Swim Wales 3:54.81 (commemorative) 2nd Larne 3:58.65 3rd Sundays Well 4:03.72

Male Open 400m Freestyle Relay 1st Swansea University 3:25.67 (commemorative) 1st Larne 3:35.71 2nd Swim Wales 3:31.48 (commemorative) 2nd Lisburn City 3:35.86 3rd Ards 3:37.52