Danielle Hill starred for Ireland on
day four of racing at the European Aquatics Championships in Romania, pulling
off an incredible double that saw her finish fourth in the 50m Backstroke,
advance to the final of the 100m Backstroke and set two new Irish Records.
Hill came agonising close to securing
her first senior international medal when she touched in fourth place in the
50m Backstroke Final. The Larne swimmer knocked an impressive .26 of a second
off Thursday’s heat time of 26.59 finishing in 26.33, just behind bronze
medallist Analia Pigree of France in 26.28.
Earlier in the evening, Hill had swum
another Irish Record, this time in the semi-final of the 100m Backstroke, where
she ranked fifth overall to advance to tomorrow’s final in 57.73. That time
bettered her own Irish Record of 58.29 from 2021 by over half a second.
On the 50m Final Hill said ‘I am so
happy, someone again has to come fourth, but there’s another record, so there’s
nothing left in the tank, and that’s all I can do, so I’m happy’ she added ‘the
100m tomorrow will be fun, it’s my last race of the meet so I just want to get
out and go like I have been doing’.
Ellen Walshe also completed a double
this evening, securing two finals places in the 100m Butterfly and 200m
Individual Medley as well as an Irish record. In the 100m Butterfly, Walshe
touched second in her heat in 56.90 and advances to tomorrow’s final in fourth
place overall.
Less than an hour later, in the 200m
Individual Medley, Walshe secured the same positioning, second in the heat and
fourth overall confirming her place in the final in 2:08.50, a new Irish
Record, that breaks her own 2021 standard of 2:08.69.
Speaking after the races Walshe said
‘I’m delighted to be back in both races, it was a tough morning and a tough
evening this evening, but I’m looking forward to doing them one more time and
hopefully will be a little bit better.’
There was double delight for Ireland
after the 200m Individual Medley semi-finals as National Centre Limerick’s
Ellie McCartney confirmed her place in her first senior international final.
McCartney improved on her heat time of 2:11.99, placing fourth in her heat and
eighth overall in 2:11.72.
Commenting after the race McCartney
said, ‘Coming in here all I wanted was a second swim, so to come out to my
first ever European short course and make the final I’m already finished top
eight in Europe, so that’s quite an achievement whatever happens tomorrow
night.’
Also competing this evening in the
100m Backstroke, Maria Godden placed eleventh overall in a best time of 59.26.
It was the National Centre Limerick swimmer’s second semi-final, and with five
swims so far, she has a 100% record on best times ‘I’m a little bit in awe, I
know we’re not in rest or taper mode yet, so to be doing these sorts of times
so early in the season is really positive. I definitely felt my legs going in
the last 15 metres there, but I know what I have to work on now going into long
course season.’
In the 200m Freestyle Evan Bailey
clocked 1:46.57 in his first senior international semi-final. The 18-year-old
improved on his heats time of 1:46.65 to place fourteenth overall.
Ireland’s final competitor in action
this evening was Max McCusker who clocked 23.08 in the 50m Butterfly
semi-finals to place sixteenth overall.
Tomorrow evening will see Danielle
Hill, Ellen Walshe and Ellie McCartney compete in finals, while double gold
medallist Daniel Wiffen is back in the pool with brother Nathan for the 800m
Freestyle Heats in the morning.
2023 European Aquatics SC Swimming
Championships (Otopeni, Romania)
Day 4 – Friday 8th December l Results
Women’s 100m Backstroke Danielle Hill 59.24
(14th) SF 57.73 (5th) ISR
Maria Godden 59.39 (15th) SF
59.26 (11th)
Men’s 200m Freestyle Evan Bailey 1:46.65 (15th) SF
1:46.57 (14th)
Women’s 100m Butterfly Ellen Walshe 57.59 (3rd) SF 56.90 (4th)
Men’s 200m Breaststroke Liam O’Connor 2:12.18 (22nd)
Women’s 200m IM Ellen Walshe 2:11.62
(9th) SF 2:08.50 (4th) ISR
Grace Davison 2:14.36 (16th)
Ellie McCartney 2:11.99 (10th) SF 2:11.72 (8th)
Men’s 50m Butterfly Max McCusker 22.92
(11th) SF 23.08 (16th)
Dylan Registe 24.37 (39th)
Women’s 50m Backstroke Danielle Hill 26.59
(3rd) ISR SF 26.62 (6th) F 26.33 (4th) ISR
Day 5 – Saturday 9th December l
Schedule
Men’s 50m Breaststroke Liam O’Connor, Tom Fannon
Women’s 200m Freestyle Victoria Catterson, Maria Godden, Grace
Davison
Men’s 200m Backstroke Heats John Shortt
Women’s 50m Breaststroke Ellie McCartney
Men’s 100m Freestyle Heats Max McCusker, Evan Bailey, Shane
Ryan, Oisin Tebite
Women’s 50m Butterfly Heats Ellen Walshe
Men’s 800m Freestyle Heats Daniel Wiffen, Nathan Wiffen
Women’s 100m Backstroke Final Danielle Hill
Women’s 100m Butterfly Final Ellen Walshe
Women 200m IM Final Ellen Walshe, Ellie McCartney
Note to Editor:
Tuesday – Sunday schedule: Prelims:
07:30 / Finals: 16:00 (Ireland)
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.
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