Conor Ferguson Among Trio To Secure ‘A’ Times For Fukuoka 2023 At Irish Open
Conor Ferguson, Danielle Hill and Ellen Walshe all secured ‘A’ times for the the 2023 worlds at the Irish Open Swimming Championships in Dublin.
Ferguson, based at Loughborough University, commanded the 100m backstroke final from start to finish to retain his national title in 54.01, 0.02 inside the World Aquatics ‘A’ time of 54.03.
Ferguson said:
“I just wanted that so bad, I can’t describe it, I haven’t done a significant PB in 6 or 7 years, so to do that tonight, I’m over the moon, I’m delighted.”
John Shortt – the 16-year-old 200 back champion – was second in 55.26 to post consideration times for the European U23 Championships, European Junior Championships and European Youth Olympic Festival.
The prelims saw Hill secure an ‘A’ time in the 100m backstroke, the Tokyo Olympian clocking 1:00.40, 0.22 outside her Irish record of 1:00.18.
Hill went on to claim silver in the final in 1:01.50, behind Maria Godden who swam a PB of 1:01.32 to add to her 200 title.
Walshe, who had already secured the World Aquatics ‘A’ time in the 100 fly with an Irish record of 57.96 on the opening day of competition, secured another ‘A’ time in this evening’s 200IM in 2:12.93.
Grace Hodgins was the only woman inside 9mins in the 800 free in 8:50.98 to sweep the 400-800-1500 treble.
Darragh Greene upgraded his 100m breaststroke silverto gold in the 200m.
The National Centre Dublin swimmer passed Eoin Corby in the closing metres to win in 2:12.17 with Corby (National second in 2:12.24.
National Centre Limerick team-mates Finn McGeever and Jack Cassin took the top spots in the 200m freestyle Final. McGeever was first home in 1:50.46, with Cassin just behind in 1:50.77.
In the women’s 200m butterfly final, Alana Burns-Atkin won her first national title in 2:20.17.