Daniel Wiffen Returns For Second Gold & John Shortt Sets Irish 200 Back Record
Daniel Wiffen made it two victories in as many races when he added the 400 free to his 800 title at the Irish Open Swimming Championships in Dublin.
The double Olympic medallist had been “quite disappointed” with his winning time of 7:41.52 in the 800 on Sunday despite it being a world leading time and the fourth-fastest of his career.
Daniel Wiffen: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
The double world champion returned to the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre on Monday for the 400 where he posted 3:46.87, the fifth-fastest of his career topped by his Irish record of 3:44.35 from the Swim Open Stockholm in 2023.
The 23-year-old finished ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn who clocked a personal best 3:53.70 to go under the consideration time for the European Aquatics U23 Championships.
While the double Olympic medallist is among six swimmers to have achieved qualifying times for the Singapore worlds, they’re all required to compete in the same individual events in Dublin to get the consideration time and prove their fitness. Wiffen has stamped his ticket in some style in the 400 and 800 with the 1500 to come in which he has his sights firmly set on the world record of 14:30.67 set by Bobby Finke en-route to the Olympic title in Paris.
Shortt Continues On Trajectory; McSharry Takes Title
John Shortt: Photo Courtesy: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
John Shortt set an Irish senior record and championship mark of 1:56.61 in the 200 back to go inside the QT for the World Championships which run from 27 July to 3 August. The 18-year-old set the previous standard of 1:57.68 en-route to the European junior title last year and he’s now booked his spot on the plane to Singapore in the 100 and 200.
Speaking after the race, Shortt said: “It hurt quite a lot, but I knew I had that in me, especially after the 100 that was such a confidence boost during the weekend so I knew I could do something special there. I felt good this morning and was pretty chilled so I knew I had to really go for it tonight and took it out that first 100 as hard as I could and just held on for dear life, but yeah I’m so so happy with that and just proud to be racing here in front of this crowd as well, it’s brilliant like.”
One of the tightest races of the night saw the two fastest 100m breaststrokers in Irish history go head-to-head for the national title. Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry and Ellie McCartney had the NAC crowd on their feet as they pulled away from the rest of the field, McSharry just getting the better of McCartney in 1:06.87. With the time, she validated her place at the World Championships. For McCartney, it was a first swim under 67 seconds in 1:06.97 and it makes the National Centre Limerick swimmer only the second Irishwoman to do so.
McSharry said: “It’s pretty good, the target was 1:07.20, so anything under that I would have been happy with, that’s what I need to get to Worlds and that was the plan for this week, get back into racing long course and be able to qualify.”
Fannon Sprints To Title
Tom Fannon: Photo courtesy: Swim Ireland
Tom Fannon had twice rattled his Irish 50 free record of 21.74 en-route to the final with his 21.78 prelims effort followed by 21.77 in the semis. In the final, the Olympic semifinalist took gold in 21.91 ahead of Shane Ryan (22.53) and Matthew Hamilton (22.95).
Clare Custer was the first Irishwoman home in the 400 free, clocking 4:22.87 behind Germany’s Sophie Lenze (4:19.47). It was a second title in Dublin for Custer after she won the 1500.
Jack Cassin claimed his first 100m fly title in 53.14 seconds. The 21-year-old was under the consideration time for the European U23 Championships for the gold medal ahead of Hamilton (54.87) and Cassin’s team-mate at National Centre Limerick Brogan McAviney (55.04). Luca-Nik Armbuster of Germany took commemorative gold in 52.38.
Eoin Corby topped the men’s 100m breaststroke podium in 1:01.45, followed by Bangor’s Adam Bradley (1:02.27) and National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (1:02.73).
Ards’ Grace Davison won a tight affair in the women 100 free. The Paris Olympian touched the wall in 56.05 to claim her second consecutive title in the event ahead of National Centre Dublin’s Victoria Catterson took silver in 56.19 and National Centre Limerick’s Danielle Farrell bronze in 56.62.
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Lottie Cullen leads the Irish qualifiers for the 200m backstroke Final after a solid swim of 2:15.04 in the semi-final ahead of Maria Godden (2:16.21) and Cora Rooney (2:19.53).
Olympic finalist Ellen Walshe will be the top seed for Tuesday’s 100m butterfly final after posting a time of 58.24 in the semi-finals, the only swimmer under the one-minute mark. The 23-year-old has qualified three events for the World Aquatics Championships so far including the 100m and 200m butterfly and 200IM.
National Centre Ulster’s Adam Colgan is the fastest Irish qualifier into Tuesday’s 200IM. Colgan clocked 2:08.92 ahead of Banbridge’s Tom Wilkinson (2:11.25) and UCD’s Liam Morris (2:12.16). Germany’s Tobias Van Aggelen will be the top seed in 2:07.09.