Ellen Walshe set an Irish 200IM record of 2:12.02 to go inside the FINA ‘A’ time at the Swim Ireland Performance Meet but it may not be enough to book a spot for Tokyo because of the governing body’s selection policy.
The 20-year-old twice lowered Grainne Murphy‘s 2009 record of 2:13.64, going 2:13.17 in the morning before returning in the evening to slice a further 1.15secs for a time that was within the FINA ‘A’ standard of 2:12.56.
However, Swim Ireland‘s selection policy states “that to be in a position to qualify for the Games from this June Performance Meet, athletes had to be within 1.5% of the FINA ‘A’ standard at the Olympic Trials meet in April.
“Prior to the meet, Swim Ireland named the 10 athletes who were in that position and Walshe was not one of them. The matter will be taken under consideration.”
Speaking about the swim, Walshe said through Swim Ireland:
“It just hurts, but I’m delighted with it. I still can’t believe it. I was just hoping I would be out faster than this morning.
“I was a little bit nervous tonight. I knew I had to try and stay calm, people were saying good luck to me and it gets into me sometimes.
“But I knew I had to try to stay chill, and it obviously works when I’m calm, I just swim so much better.
“I just can’t thank enough everyone who has got me to this point.”
However, it now poses a question for the selectors and brought a response from Barry Murphy, who represented Ireland at the 2012 Olympics in London.
He posted to social media and called on Walshe to be selected, saying:
“Making an Olympic QT is one of the a hardest things in the world and the memory lasts a lifetime.
“It should be the happiest time of your life. It should not be spoiled by policy.
“The right thing must happen here.”
It is reminiscent of the situation Molly Renshaw found herself in in 2012 when she did the qualification time for London but was not selected.
Then 16, Renshaw swam inside the cut at the first trials in London to finish second behind Stacey Tadd with only the winner guaranteed selection.
At the second trials in June, Renshaw was 0.83 outside the standard and despite an appeal, she didn’t make the Great Britain team.
Calum Bain missed the cut of 22.01 in the 50 free in 22.18 although he will get another chance on Saturday night in a time trial.
Cillian Melly set a new Irish record of 4:23.22 in the 400IM with Ethan Hansen ging 2:04.11 for a junior 200IM mark.
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