Mona McSharry was in fine form at the opening day of the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin yesterday.
The Grange youngster claimed a new Irish junior record in the 50 metres breaststroke.
McSharry, who swims with the Marlins club in Ballyshannon broke Sycerika McMahon’s 2011 record by touching in 31.34 seconds ahead of Tallaght’s Niamh Coyne.
The championships continue today.
DAY ONE REPORT
Irish swimmers were in impressive form with a number of records downed on the opening day of the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin. Jordan Sloan and Brendan Hyland highlighted the day breaking records in the 200m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly.
Sloan was first up when raced to a new Irish Senior Record during this morning’s preliminaries of the 200m Freestyle. The Bangor swimmer broke Ryan Harrison’s 2009 Record of 1:47.94. His time of 1:47.41 was under the qualification time for both the World Championships in Budapest and World University Games in Chinese Taipei and ranks within the top 10 swims in the world so far this season. Sloan went on to win tonight’s final in 1:47.77 ahead of Bangor team mate Jack Millan in 1:51.03.
Brendan Hyland took over half a second off his own 200m Butterfly Irish Record. The Tallaght swimmer swam his fastest time in three years clocking 1:58.08 in this evening’s final, securing his fourth consecutive national title in the event. Ellen Walshe of Templeogue won the women’s event in 2:16.43 swimming under the consideration time for both World and European Junior Championships.
Mona McSharry started her championships with a new Irish Junior Record in the 50m Breaststroke. The Marlins swimmer broke Sycerika McMahon’s 2011 record of 31.49 touching in 31.34 seconds ahead of Tallaght’s Niamh Coyne (32.79). In the men’s race UCD’s Darragh Greene touched in 38.08 to win gold, Greene had entered the final as top seed after a preliminary swim of 38.00 which was under consideration for the World University Games.
Following his record in the 200m Freestyle Sloan was part of a Bangor relay team that took almost 5 seconds off the Irish 400m Freestyle Club Relay Record. Joined by David Thompson, Conor Ferguson and Jack McMillan, the quartet downed UCD’s 2016 record of 3:28.07 to set a new time of 3:23.38. Sundays Well won the women’s event in 4:00.86 while Kilkenny’s Maria Godden, Katie Dunne, Madison Cobey Dunne and Naomi Trait joined forces to set a new Irish Junior Record taking silver medals in 4:01.84.
Conor Ferguson retained his Irish 100m Backstroke National Title easing to victory in 54.61 seconds. Ferguson’s time was well under the European and World Junior Championships consideration times. Danielle Hill won the women’s event in 1:02.32 touching ahead of Stirling’s Natasha Hofton (1:02.68). Lisburn’s Daniel Wiffen swam under to European Youth Olympics consideration time to take Gold in the 1500m Freestyle Final in 16:12.99 while his team mate Rachel Bethel won 800m Freestyle Gold in 9:00.19. Bethel then returned to win the national title in the final event of the day, the women’s 200m Freestyle, in 2:03.37.
Fifteen Irish swimmers have now gone under the consideration time for the European Youth Olympics Festival in Hungary in July. With only 8 places available on the team, the swimmers (aged 14-16) are facing tough competition throughout the weekend to secure them.
Competition continues through to Sunday. Press Releases will be issued daily.
Full Results Day 1
Men 1500m Freestyle Final: 1st D Wiffen Lisburn 16:12.99 2nd D Fisher Edinburgh 16:29.71 3rd J Fleming Lisburn 16:50.80
Women 800m Freestyle Final: 1st R Bethel Lisburn 9:00.19 2nd V Catterson Ards 9:12.41 3rd Jessica Burke NAC 9:22.99
Men 200m Butterfly Final: 1st B Hyland Tallaght 1:58.08 ISR 2nd F Gifford Stirling 2:04.88 3rd C Melly Castlebar 2:04.94
Women 200m Butterfly Final: 1st E Walshe Templeogue 2:16.43 2nd S Kelly Galway 2:18.27 3rd C Flood Tallaght 2:19.18
Men 100m Backstroke Final: 1st C Ferguson Bangor 54.61 2nd R McEvoy Ennis 57.43 3rd D Prendergast 57.98
Women 100m Backstroke Final: 1st D Hill Larne 1:02.32 2nd N Hofton Stirling 1:02.68 3rd M Godden Kilkenny 1:04.00
Men 50m Breaststroke Final: 1st D Greene UCD 28.07 2nd J Graham Bangor 28.14 3rd A Moore UCD 28.96
Women 50m Breaststroke Final: 1st M McSharry Marlins 31.34 IJR 2nd N Coyne Tallaght 32.79 3rd Adele Blanchtiere France 32.90
Men 200m Freestyle Final: 1st J Sloan Bangor 1:47.77 (1:47.41 Heat Swim Irish Record) 2nd J McMillan Bangor 1:51.03 3rd G Quinn Longford 1:51.59
Women 200m Freestyle Final: 1st B Firth Ards 2:03.02 2nd R Bethel Lisburn 2:03.37 3rd N Hofton Stirling 2:04.84
Men 4x100m Freestyle Team Relay: 1st Bangor 3:23.38 ISR 2nd Limerick 3:32.99 3rd Athlone 3:34.54
Women 4x100m Freestyle Team Relay: 1st Sundays Well 4:00.86 2nd Kilkenny 4:01.84 IJR 3rd Trojan 4:05.13
Consideration Times Met (selection of athletes for all events will be made at a later date)
European Junior Swimming Championships, 28th June – 2nd July 2017, Herzliya, Israel
Mona McSharry (100 Breast, 100Free, 200 Breast, 50 Free, 200IM), Ellen Walshe (200Fly), Niamh Coyne (100Breast, 200Breast), Rebecca Reid (400 IM), Jack McMillan (200Free), Conor Ferguson (100Back), Robbie Powell (200Free)
FINA World Diving, Swimming & Open Water Championships, 15th – 30th July, Budapest, Hungary
Jordan Sloan (200Free)
IOC European Youth Olympic Festival, 22nd – 30th July, Gyor, Hungary
Maria Godden (100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Back, 200 Back), Amelia Kane (200 Fly), Caoimhe Quinn (200 Fly, 200 Back), Julia Knox (400 IM, 200IM) Mia Davison (100 Breast), Robyn Lynch (200 Fly), Ethan Murtagh (200 Fly), Rebecca Lowe (100 Back, 200 Back), Sean Scannell (200 Back), Scarlett Armstrong (200 Back), Cara Osing (400 Free), Naomi Trait (200Free), Sean McNicholl (100Back), Daniel Wiffen (1500Free), Ellie McKibbin (200Fly)
World University Games, 20th – 27th August, Taipei, Chinese Taipei
Rory McEvoy (50 Back), Conor Brines (50 Fly), Darragh Greene (50Breast), Jordan Sloan (200Free), Brendan Hyland (200Fly)
World Junior Swimming Championships, 23rd – 28th August, Indianapolis, USA
Mona McSharry (100 Breast, 200 Breast), Ellen Walshe (200Fly), Niamh Coyne (100Breast), Conor Ferguson (100Back)
