Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Swim Ireland Five Team Ireland Swimmers advance to European Finals on the last day of action at the LEN Dublin Under 23 European Swimming Championships


 

Daniel Wiffen and Mona McSharry are the fastest qualifiers in the finals of the 800m Freestyle and 200m Breaststroke respectively as the final session of competition get's underway from 6pm this evening at the Sport Ireland National aquatic Centre. McSharry will be on the hunt to complete a hat-trick of gold medals, as she was crowned European U23 Swimming Champion in the 50m and 100m Breaststroke during the first two days. Wiffen who recently set the European record for the 800m in Japan last month will be looking to add another gold medal after winning the 1500m on Friday.

Double U23 European Champion Ellen Walshe will be making her fourth appearance in a final this weekend as she competes in the 50m Butterfly, while Maria Godden will be back in her third final as she takes to the pool in the 200m Backstroke. Also in action, Grace Hodgins will compete in the 1500m Freestyle final.

Sligo’s Mona McSharry, for the third time this weekend, opened competition for Team Ireland on the final day of the LEN Dublin Under 23 European Swimming Championships. The University of Tennessee swimmer eased into tonight’s final of the 200m Breaststroke winning her heat with a time of 2.27.27, to record the fastest time of the morning. McSharry will now go into tonight’s final with a chance of winning her third gold medal of the Dublin based championships.

Speaking after her swim McSharry said, “Pretty good, happy with that, it’s just about getting the job done today, one more race tonight, we’ll see what my body can do. Just go out, have fun and race. I’m happy (with my performances this weekend), I knew it was going to be tough coming into this meet, I didn’t know what to expect and honestly, fair play to the staff and the other athletes here, it’s been awesome, really enjoyable, cheering us on, great atmosphere and I think that’s made the world of difference.”

Ellen Walshe competed against a strong field in the Women’s 50m Butterfly, her time of 27.19 was good enough for the Templeogue swimmer to qualify for her fourth final of these championships. Walshe finished as the eighth fastest athlete overall out of four heats.

Reflecting on her race Walshe said, “Yeah it was just like last day, last one and I always wanted to make it into the final to probably hear that crowd again tonight and I’m delighted to be back in 8th position. It’s been a tough couple of months, coming back from illness, I’m delighted to be back on the world stage and then to finish off with a home crowd, it’s really really nice.”

After coming very close to her first European medal last night in the Women’s 100m Backstroke, Maria Godden is back in a final this evening after posting 2:14.76 in the Women’s 200m Backstroke. She will go into tonight’s final ranked fifth.

Commenting after her race Godden said, “I probably would of like to have been a little quicker there but after over-rating the 100m backstroke yesterday I was really trying to focus on just holding the water and just keeping the rate low enough that I was actually moving. I’m happy enough and as you said my third final, to be honest I came into this meet hoping to make one final so to be in three and to be representing Ireland I’m really pleased with how it’s been going so far. It’s amazing, I’m a little emotional about it to be honest, a lot of my friends and family have never seen me swim live before so it’s just really special having everyone cheer me on and it definitely makes the 200m that little bit easier.”

16-year-old John Shortt, the youngest member of Team Ireland, closed out his competition at these championships after the Men’s 100m Backstroke, finishing in twenty-fifth place with a time of 56.95, this puts the Galway swimmer outside of the top ten needed to qualify through to the final.

Shortt has had an incredible year, breaking the Junior and Senior National Record in the 200m Backstroke, he’s also represented Team Ireland at the European Junior Championships, World Aquatics Championships and finally the LEN Under 23 European Championships.

Speaking about his achievements this year Shortt said, “Just grateful to be honest, I really couldn’t have done without my family, my coaches, they’ve all been amazing over this last nine or ten months, I’m just really grateful that I’m able to race at these really high level meets with the Irish flag on my cap, it’s an absolute honour, I’m really proud of myself to be honest.”

Even though Shortt is still young, his time in the 200m Backstroke is very close to the qualifying time for Paris 2024, “Absolutely, it’s a big year and I do really feel with the right training, I’ve amazing coaches both in Galway and in Limerick so there’s absolutely no doubt with the right training, the right attitude, I can be on that team and I really want to be, getting that first Olympics, I’m 17 next year so it’ll set me up really well for Los Angeles (2028), I can make that team and do a bit of damage.”

The Men’s 100m Freestyle featured two Irish athletes, Evan Bailey and Matthew Walsh-Hussey. Wexford’s Bailey was the first home with a time of 51.29 to finish in fifty-third place overall, followed by Walsh-Hussey in sixtieth place overall with a time of 52.09.

Speaking about opening his competition and competing at his debut Under 23 European Championships, Dubliner Walsh-Hussey said, “It’s great, I wasn’t incredibly happy with the swim but it’s such a great opportunity, I’m so proud to be representing my country and it’s great to be around so many talented Irish athletes and it just motivates me to work harder every day. It’s so much different to a club programme (speaking on competing with Team Ireland) everyone is so hungry to do well, and it motivates everyone to do well, there’s such a great atmosphere around the team that I think it’s just so good. It’s amazing, looking up at the crowd and you see a wave of green, it’s incredible.”

In the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, Limerick’s Eoin Corby and Terenure’s Liam O’Connor were in action for Team Ireland. Competing in a strong field, Corby finished in thirteenth place with a time of 1:02.19, narrowly missing out on a final place by 0.65 of a second. O’Connor closes his weekend in twenty-eight place overall with a time of 1:04.07. Jack Cassin, competing in the 200m Individual Medley closes out his competition also, finishing in thirty-first place with a time of 2:05.96 in the 200m Individual Medley.

In the Women’s 100m Freestyle, Victoria Catterson came home in 56.21 for twelfth place overall, while Oisin Tebite went 25.62 in the 50m Butterfly to finish in forty-fourth place overall, rounding out his international senior debut.

The Irish relay team were in action this morning in the Mixed 4x100m Freestyle. Evan Bailey, who led the team off, was joined by Matthew Walsh-Hussey, with Maria Godden taking the third leg and Victoria Catterson anchored the team home. There was stiff competition, but the Irish team gave a brave performance to finish in seventh place in their heat with a time of 3:36.76 which meant they finished in fourteenth place narrowly missing out on a final.

 

Heat Results Sunday 13th August 2023

F 200m Breaststroke Mona McSharry 2:27.27 (1)

M 100m Backstroke John Shortt 56.95 (25)

F 50m Butterfly          Ellen Walshe 27.19 (8)

M 100m Freestyle Evan Bailey 51.29 (53)

Matthew Walsh-Hussey 52.09 (60)

F 200m Backstroke Maria Godden 2:14.76 (5)

M 100m Breaststroke Eoin Corby 1:02.19 (13)

Liam O’Connor 1:04.07 (28)

F 100m Freestyle Victoria Catterson 56.21 (12)

M 50m Butterfly        Oisin Tebite 25.62 (44)

M 200m Individual Medley Jack Cassin 2:05.96 (31)

Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay Ireland 3:36.76 (14)

 

Finals Schedule Sunday 13th August 2023

F 200m Breaststroke Final Mona McSharry 18:00

F 50m Butterfly Final Ellen Walshe   18:19

F 1500m Freestyle Final        Grace Hodgins           18:37

F 200m Backstroke Final Maria Godden      19:00

M 800m Freestyle Final         Daniel Wiffen 19:47

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