Swim Ireland - John Shortt Breaks Irish Record to Edge Closer to Olympic Standard

 

17-year-old John Shortt highlighted day three finals of the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials with a new Irish Record in the 200m Backstroke.

The National Centre Limerick swimmer took over half a second off his own record of 1:58.47 set in the semi-final at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year. Shortt’s time of 1:57.90 is now just four tenths of a second off the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 1:57.50. The Galway man will go again on Saturday in the Super Final.

Cormac Rynn had an outstanding swim in the 400m Freestyle Super Final to claim gold and his first national title in a new Irish Junior Record of 3:54.06. Rynn’s first venture below the four-minute mark only came in the Friday morning heats where he touched in 3:57.79. A first Irish Record for the Roscommon man, his time was also under the consideration time for the European Championships. In a full National Centre Limerick podium Finn McGeever was second in 4:00.39 while Denis O’Brien claimed bronze in 4:06.48.

Calum Bain held off teammate and Thursday night’s Olympic Games qualifier Tom Fannon in the Final of the 50m Freestyle to take the national title. Bain swam a lifetime best of 22.06 seconds, just one tenth of a second off the Olympic Qualification Time of 21.96. In second, Fannon clocked 22.07 while Oisin Tebite completed a National Centre Dublin clean sweep in 22.79 for bronze. All three swimmers were under the consideration time for the European Championships.

In the Women’s 100m Freestyle Final Grace Davison and Victoria Catterson battled for the top spot on the podium. It was 16-year-old Davison of Ards, who set two Irish Junior Records in the event earlier in the week, who got to the wall first in 55.56, National Centre Dublin’s Catterson just behind in 55.72. Erin Riordan, also of NCD, was third in 56.71.

In the Men’s 100m Butterfly Super Final Max McCusker swam his second fastest time ever touching in 51.96, just outside the Irish Record of 51.90 from Thursday’s heats. McCusker claimed gold in a European Championships consideration time ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin (54.17) and Brogan McAviney (54.96).

Amelia Kane cruised to victory in the Women’s 400m Freestyle Final. The Ards swimmer clocked 4:21.93 ahead of Sarasota Shark’s Grace Hodgins (4:28.91) and Templeogue’s Holly McInerney (4:30.81)

Darragh Greene won the 100m Breaststroke Super Final and claimed the national title for the first time since 2019. The National Centre Dublin swimmer held off ESB’s Jack Kelly (1:00.95) and his NCD teammate Eoin Corby (1:01.09) for gold in 1:00.54; all three have achieved the European Aquatics Championships consideration time.

In the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Super Final National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne led throughout for victory and the national title in 1:09.52. National Centre Limerick’s Eimear Doyle won silver in 1:10.28 with bronze going to Limerick’s Olwyn Cooke (1:10.69).

Ellen Walshe dominated the 100m Butterfly A Final touching the wall in 58.43 for her fourth fastest time ever. Walshe returns on Saturday for the Super Final with her eye on the Olympic Qualification Time of 57.92.

Maria Godden topped the rankings in the Women’s 200m Backstroke A Final. The National Centre Limerick swimmer is the top seed for tomorrow’s Super Final in 2:14.94 ahead of 100m Backstroke Champion Lottie Cullen (2:16.45) of National Centre Ulster.

In the final event of the evening, the Men’s 200m Individual Medley, Bangor’s Lachey Reed touched in 2:08.14 to advance as the fastest qualifier to Saturday’s Super Final.

Competition continues Saturday morning with heats of the Men’s 1500m Freestyle, 200m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly and the Women’s 800m Freestyle, 200m Breaststroke, 200m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle.