Danielle Hill Adds 50 Free To Her Paris Programme With 24.68 Irish Record In Dublin
Danielle Hill went 24.68 as she lowered her Irish 50 free record for the second time in one day to book her second individual swim at Paris 2024 at Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials.
Shane Ryan also made it two national 100 free marks in a single day when he went 48.49 and has one more chance in Sunday’s Super Final to make the cut for the Olympics.
Larne’s Hill posted a record of 24.95 in the heats of the 50m on Saturday morning before cutting 0.27 from that time in the final to dip 0.02 inside the Olympic QT of 24.70.
The 24-year-old, who had already punched her ticket in the 100 back, said:
“I am absolutely over the moon, I’m not quite as emotional as day one.
“I had a little bit more fun tonight with that, there was a massive crowd down to see me so I couldn’t disappoint them. I just had a bit of fun and swam without stress or pressure and I think that’s what made the difference.”
The five-day meet represents the final chance for swimmers to book their ticket to Paris and join Hill, Daniel Wiffen, Tom Fannon, Ellen Walshe and Mona McSharry on the plane to the French capital.
The meet at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre comprises prelims, A finals and Super Finals.
Shane Ryan: Photo Courtesy: Swim Ireland
Ryan set a time of 48.55 before slicing 0.06 from that time as he edges closer to the OQT of 48.34 on Sunday as he bids for his third Games.
Walshe, who has already qualified for Paris in the 200IM, swam the second-fastest 100m butterfly of her career to win the Super Final and her first national title of the week in 58.07.
Silver went to National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien (1:03.29) while Sundays Well Izzy McGrath claimed bronze in 1:04.95.
John Shortt had the full support of the National Aquatic Centre behind him in the 200m backstroke Super Final.
The 17-year-old, who set a new Irish record of 1:57.90 on Friday, swam the second fastest time of his fledgling career, winning the national title, for the second consecutive year, in 1:58.38.
The National Centre Limerick swimmer has been under the consideration time for both the European Junior and European Senior Swimming Championships in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Belgrade, Serbia, respectively.
Ellie McCartney edged out Niamh Coyne by 0.06 in the 200m breaststroke to advance to Sunday’s Super Final in 2:29.67 to 2:29.73.
Darragh Greene came through to take the men’s title in 2:11.92 ahead of Eoin Corby (2:12.13) and Uiseann Cooke (2:12.89).
Lottie Cullen doubled up on national titles and European Championships consideration times adding the 200m backstroke to the 100m she won on Thursday.
Cullen, of National Centre Ulster, topped the podium in 2:14.10 ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden (2:14.10) and Ballina Dolphins Annabelle Wilkinson (2:17.05).
Bangor’s Lachey Reed won his first national title in the 200IM in 2:07.99.
Victoria Catterson: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
National Centre Dublin’s Victoria Catterson and Ards’ Grace Davison will go head-to-head in Sunday’s 200m freestyle Super Final with the pair the clear favourites after Saturday’s A Final.
Catterson will take the centre lane with a time of 2:01.04, while Davison, who swam a lifetime best of 2:01.56, will take lane five.
Jack Cassin of National Centre Limerick advances to the 200m butterfly Super Final after he won today’s A Final in 2:00.83. Cassin’s teammates at NCL Brogan McAviney (2:03.30) and Ronan Kilcoyne (2:06.58) were next home.
2024 Paris Olympic Games
Olympic Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m, 800m, 1500m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m IM), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke), Danielle Hill (50m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle)
Women 4x100m Medley Relay, Men 4x100m Medley Relay*
* Two Olympic Qualification Times (OQT) are required from the team in order to confirm the Olympic place when invited
2024 European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, June 17th – 23rd
Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m, 800m, 1500m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m, 400m IM, 100m Butterfly), Mona McSharry (50m, 100m, 200m Breaststroke), Evan Bailey (200m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly, 100m Freestyle), Conor Ferguson (100m Backstroke), Danielle Hill (50m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke), Nathan Wiffen (800m Freestyle), Ellie McCartney (200m IM, 200m Breaststroke), Cormac Rynn (200m, 400m Freestyle), Jack Cassin (200m Freestyle), Darragh Greene (100m Breaststroke), Eoin Corby (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle), Max McCusker (100m Butterfly), Lottie Cullen (100m, 200m Backstroke), Jack Kelly (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Niamh Coyne (100m Breaststroke), John Shortt (200m Backstroke), Calum Bain (50m Freestyle), Oisin Tebite (50m Freestyle), Shane Ryan (100m Freestyle), Uiseann Cooke (200m Breaststroke)