Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry swam her fastest time ever to set a new Irish and Championship Record in the 200m Breaststroke on Friday in Bangor.
The Marlins swimmer, who is based in Tennessee, dominated the race finishing in 2:22.22, inside her 2024 Irish Record of 2:22.49 and the Championship Record of 2:23.02 she swam in this morning’s heats. The time is the third fastest in the World so far this year behind the USA’s Kate Douglass (2:22.01) and Great Britain’s Angharad Evans (2:22.02).
Speaking after the race the 26-year-old said ‘It’s pretty exciting, that 200 Breaststroke is that event where you never really know where it’s going to be on every day, I mean it’s just to nice to see the hard work in training pay off and be able to put together a really good race.’
National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney was second in the 200m Breaststroke Final touching in 2:25.72, under the consideration times for the European Championships and Commonwealth Games, while Shark’s Niamh Connery, who was under the European Junior consideration time in the heats, was third in 2:33.49.
John Shortt secured his second Championship Record of the week with a stunning performance in the 50m Backstroke final, touching in 25.08 to better the previous mark of 25.09 set in 2023. The National Centre Limerick swimmer claimed his second national title of the championships, adding to his Irish and Championship Record and gold medal in the 100m Backstroke.
In second place, swimming his first tapered race since the Paris Olympic Games, Conor Ferguson touched in 25.46, three hundredths of a second under the European Championships and Commonwealth Games consideration time of 25.49.
Ferguson said, ‘I’m absolutely delighted, last year was such a rough year for me, like, the back injury, I didn’t even know if I’d be back here, I’m actually quite emotional because it’s my first time racing tapered since Paris and it hasn’t been an easy journey.’
Another Paris Olympian, Danielle Hill, claimed her first national title of the week with victory in the Women’s 50m Backstroke Final. The Larne swimmer clocked 28.43, dipping under the European Championships and Commonwealth Games consideration time of 28.64. Lottie Cullen (National Centre Ulster), the reigning 100m Backstroke champion, finished second in 28.69, inside the European Championships consideration time, while UCD’s Jenna Macdougald completed the podium in 29.06.
Grace Davison, already crowned 100m Freestyle champion, completed a freestyle double with victory in the 200m Freestyle, touching in 1:59.52 to break the two?minute barrier for the first time in her career. The 18?year?old Ards swimmer now moves to second on Ireland’s all?time list for the event, behind Irish Record holder Ellen Walshe, with her time also inside the European Championships and Commonwealth Games consideration standards. National Centre Ulster’s Victoria Catterson claimed silver in 2:02.03, while National Centre Limerick’s Danielle Farrell secured bronze in 2:02.62.
100m Freestyle champion Evan Bailey also completed a freestyle double with victory in the Open 200m Freestyle Final, clocking 1:47.81 to dip under the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships. The National Centre Limerick swimmer led home team?mate Cormac Rynn, who claimed silver in 1:49.41. Arvin Chahal (Stirling) secured commemorative bronze in 1:50.87, while National Centre Ulster’s Adam Colgan took national bronze in 1:52.57.
Ellen Walshe, who set a new Irish Record in the 200m Freestyle during the morning heats, withdrew from that event to focus on the 100m Butterfly Final, where she secured her third national title of the championships. The Templeogue swimmer, already crowned champion in the 200m Butterfly and 400m Individual Medley, was the only athlete to dip under the one-minute mark, winning in 58.74. Alana Burns Atkin finished second in 1:00.15, with both swimmers recording times inside the European Championships consideration standard. Jessica Calderbank was third in 1:01.13 for commemorative bronze, with national bronze going to National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien in 1:01.63.
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin added the 100m Butterfly title to the 200m gold he claimed on Wednesday. In a close final, Cassin held off Bangor’s James Ward, touching first in 53.06 to Ward’s 53.19, and once again dipped inside the European Championships consideration time. Lisburn City’s Matthew Hamilton secured bronze in 53.63.
Jack Kelly claimed his second national title of the week as he added 200m Breaststroke gold to the 50m title he secured on Thursday. The Terenure swimmer, who set his first Irish and Championship Record in the 50m Breaststroke final, was dominant throughout, touching first in 2:12.55. National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed took silver in 2:18.21, with Dolphin’s Tiernan Moore rounding out the podium in 2:18.49.