Jack McMillan Wins 200 Free & Ellen Walshe Claims Double At McCullagh International
Jack McMillan turned the tables and claimed the 200 free title on the second day of the McCullagh International in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
McMillan was pipped by 0.01 in the 100 free by University of Stirling teammate Duncan Scott on Friday. However, he won out in the 200, taking the touch in 1:47.58, 0.41 ahead of Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Scott who clocked 1:47.99 with Evan Bailey, of the National Centre Limerick, replicating his third place over 100m in 1:49.22.
McMillan swam the prelims of the 4×2 relay at Paris 2024 as Scott anchored Great Britain to an historic victory in the final as they retained their Olympic title. Both men going 1:47 in February augurs well for later in the season with the World Championship trials two months hence in London.
Ellen Walshe got her evening underway with a clear victory in the 50 fly in which she was the only woman inside 27secs in 26.66 as Jessica Calderbank and Emma Coulter shared second in 27.54.
The double Olympian returned for the 200 free where she got the better of a tight tussle with 100 free winner Lucy Hope in 2:00.39 to 2:00.56. Grace Davison added bronze to her 100 silver.
It followed Walshe’s victory in the 400IM on the opening night where she enjoyed a winning margin of more than 10 seconds in 4:43.33.
Ellie McCartney, of the National Centre Limerick, upgraded 100m breaststroke silver to 200 gold in a PB of 2:26.07. Kara Hanlon, winner of the 100, was second in 2:27.50 with Niamh Connery third in 2:32.68.
Eoin Corby continued a fine evening for the National Centre Limerick as he clinched the 100/200br double with a 2:15.81 victory in the longer race. Lachey Reed (2:21.81) and Liam O’Connor (2:22.76) followed him home.
Scott Gibson clinched the 50/100 back double with a 57.30 victory in the longer race ahead of Charlie Cassidy (57.97) and Jack Docherty-Simpson (58.11).
Rebecca Sutton also took the double with a 1:02.71 victory in the women’s race ahead of Mollie Garratt (1:03.63) and Sophie Shaw (1:03.89).
Lewis Fraser dominated the men’s 50 fly in 23.53 while Pierce Greening took the men’s 400IM in 4:35.52
Luke Hornsey completed the distance double as he added the 1500 to his 800 title in 15:42.83 while Michaella Glenister won the women’s 800 in 8:56.04.