Irish swimmers set four new national
records and had five European top ten finishes on the penultimate night of
racing at the European Aquatics Short Course Championships in Romania.
Danielle Hill set yet another Irish
Record in the 100m Backstroke Final, the Larne swimmers sixth record of the
Championships. Hill, who placed fourth in the 50m Backstroke Final on Friday,
was sixth overall in the final of the 100m event in 57.56, lowering the record
of 57.73 that she set in the semi-final.
The 24-year-old was pleased with her
results this week stating ‘I think that has to be the most nervous that I have
felt all week, that 100m matters just a little bit more, and I’m happy to back
up the 57 (seconds), so I’m really excited moving forward now with that. I’m
looking forward to supporting the rest of the guys now.’
Already a 400m Individual Medley
bronze medallist at these Championships, Ellen Walshe came close to a second
medal when she finished fourth in the final of the 100m Butterfly.
Walshe swam an Irish record of 56.67,
taking one hundredth of a second off her own 2021 record of 56.68, and was just
.69 behind the bronze medallist.
Just thirty minutes later, the
Templeogue swimmer was back on the blocks for the 200m Individual Medley Final
where she was sixth overall in 2:09.57, outside the Irish record of 2:08.50
that she set in Friday’s semi-final.
Walshe was back in the pool once
again for the semi-finals of the 50m Butterfly where she lowered her heat time
of 25.99 to 25.97 to place twelfth overall.
Reflecting on her championships
Walshe said ‘I have a lot to learn and a lot of improvements to make short
course and I think that this meet has shown me where I need to improve, so I’m
looking forward to getting back training and enjoying the rest of the season.’
In the 200m Freestyle, Victoria
Catterson swam her second Irish record of the day, dipping under the 1:56 mark
for the first time to finish sixth in her semi-final and twelfth overall in
1:55.94.
Catterson took almost a second off
the record of 1:56.90 that she set earlier on Saturday, a record of 1:57.29
that Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympian Melanie Nocher had held since 2011.
Speaking after the race the National
Centre Dublin swimmer said ‘It’s been good to come in here and be able to pb
(personal best) and set a record this morning, and then follow it up and take
another second off it tonight. It’s really positive and shows the work I’ve
been doing and even what’s to come.’
John Shortt backed up his Irish
senior and junior record set in the 200m Backstroke heats on Saturday morning
with another record in the semi-finals. The 16-year-old lowered his time from
1:54.21 to 1:54.02 to place fifth in his heat and eleventh overall.
Shortt spoke after the race saying
‘I’m delighted with that, to progress it on from heats to semi’s is really
good. I kind of wanted to be a little bit quicker but I can’t complain.’
Also competing in the 200m Individual
Medley this evening, Ellie McCartney, swimming in her first senior
international final, in her first season as a senior athlete, finished eighth
overall in 2:12.40.
The 18-year-old spoke after the race
‘It’s been great to come out on the European stage and be making finals, it’s
my first time making a senior final, so even to get here is such a great
achievement, I’m ten years younger than some of the people I was racing against
there so it’s all about building experience. The time wasn’t what I wanted, but
the atmosphere and experience of being here, I can’t ask for much more.’
In the Men’s 100m Freestyle, Ireland
was represented by Shane Ryan and Max McCusker, in the first semi-final. Ryan,
the Irish record holder in the event, posted the faster time of the duo in
47.23 for tenth overall, while McCusker was sixteenth in 48.57.
Hill, Walshe, Catterson, McCartney,
Ryan and Shortt will all be back in action at next weeks’ Irish National Winter
Championships at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre.
Only one day of racing remains at the
Championships, with Maria Godden the only swimmer in action on Sunday morning
in the 400m Freestyle Heats. Daniel and Nathan Wiffen will compete in the 800m
Freestyle Final at 5.34pm with Daniel on the hunt for a hat-trick of gold
medals having already claimed titles in the 400m and 1500m Freestyle.
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