Ellen Walshe Sets National 100 Fly Record Of 57.96 At Irish Open; Wiffen Twins Take Gold & Silver In 400 Free
Ellen Walshe set a national 100 fly record of 57.96 on day one of the Irish Open Swimming Championships in Dublin.
Walshe, who was the first Irish swimmer to swim inside the minute mark in 2020, broke 59secs for the first time in the heats in 58.32 at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre.
The Templeogue swimmer then broke 58 in the final in the eighth-fastest time in the world this year in what was also a championship record.
Walshe’s performance was under the World Aquatics ‘A’ time for the 2023 World Championships in Japan and the consideration time for the European Under-23 Championships in Dublin in August.
She said:
“I wasn’t really expecting it this morning, I’ve been training IM (Individual Medley) rather than butterfly.
“It’s nice to go back to an event that I kind of stepped away from for quite a while, and come back with no nerves I guess.”
Danielle Hill won the 50 free in 25.35 in a tight battle with Mona McSharry (25.39) and Erin Riordan (25.76).
In fourth place, Grace Davison set a new Irish junior record of 25.88, breaking Hill’s 2016 standard of 26.08.
It was also good enough to have the National Centre Ulster swimmer considered for the European Junior Championships and European Under-23 Championships.
Daniel Wiffen, already with a consideration time for the World Championships after his silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, set the first Championship record of the meet in the 400m freestyle heats.
Wiffen touched in 3:51.17, good enough for European Under-23 Championships consideration.
The Loughborough swimmer went on to win the title in 3:52.83 and was joined on the podium by his twin brother Nathan who claimed silver in 3:54.65 and National Centre Limerick’s Finn McGeever (3:54.95).
In the women’s 400 final, 18-year-old Grace Hodgins topped the podium in 4:17.73, under the consideration time for the European U23 Championships.
Eoin Corby out-touched Darragh Greene by 0.02 in the 100br final in 1:01.00 to 1:01.02, a consideration time for the Under-23 meet.
Shane Ryan was a clear winner of the 50 back in 25.67 and Jack Cassin was the only man inside 2 mins as he won the 200 fly in 1:59.72.
Day one ended with seven swimmers under consideration for the European Under-23 Championships.