The Ulster Age Group & Senior Long Course Championships delivered one of the most memorable weekends in recent provincial swimming history, as the Bangor Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex played host to three days of fierce, high-quality racing from 1st to 3rd May 2026.
The numbers alone tell a compelling story. With 572 athletes from 31 clubs producing 2,343 individual entries and 169 relay entries across the three days, participation figures surpassed last year’s Championship in every measurable category — up from 533 athletes, 2,022 entries, 99 relays and 30 clubs in 2025. It was a weekend that underlined just how much the age group and senior competitive scene in Ulster continues to grow.
From the opening session to the final touch of the closing relay, the atmosphere inside the Bangor Aurora was electric. Every club showed up for their swimmers — through heats and finals alike — and the wall of noise that accompanied the racing proved a fitting backdrop to the wave of personal bests that swept through the competition. The quality on display was exceptional, with athletes repeatedly rising to the occasion when it mattered most.
Swim of the Day — Day 1: Dylan Registe
The tone was set emphatically on the opening day when Lisburn City Swimming Club’s Dylan Registe delivered a double assault on the Ulster Record in the 50m Butterfly. Regional Pathway Development Coach for Swim Ulster, Mark Craig, who selected each day’s Swim of the Day, was effusive in his assessment:
“An outstanding performance from Dylan today. In the morning heats, he edged under the long-standing Ulster Record of 23.93, previously held by Conor Brines, with a composed and controlled 23.91. Returning for the final, he raised the standard again, lowering the mark to 23.67. This was a highly disciplined swim — excellent execution of his race plan, a clean and effective breakout, and a well-judged finish under pressure. A performance that reflects both preparation and race awareness. Very well done, Dylan.”
Swim of the Day — Day 2: Jan Boersma
Night two of finals produced some breathtaking racing, but one performance stood above the rest. Leander ASC’s Jan Boersma produced a magnificent 200m Butterfly swim to claim the Day 2 Swim of the Day honour. Mark Craig described what he witnessed in the pool:
“The pinnacle of some incredible racing on the 2nd night of finals was Jan Boersma’s 200 Butterfly final. In one of the harder races of the swimming programme, Jan executed the front end of the race in a powerful and controlled 1:00.22. Jan showed incredible discipline and forced his body to hold his stroke through the second half of the race, demonstrating hard-earned, engrained skills that allowed him to complete the second 100 in 1:06.89, touching the wall in a very impressive 2:07.11. This feat was off the back of swimming a heat time of 2:09.83, which itself was a phenomenal improvement from his entry time of 2:16.64. Well done Jan and the team at Leander on this achievement.”
Swim of the Day — Day 3: Bangor Swimming Club
The Championships saved arguably its finest moment for last. On the closing night of finals, Bangor Swimming Club’s Female 15-and-over 4x200m Freestyle relay team etched their names into the provincial record books in spectacular fashion. Chloe Stewart (2:09.44), Grace Eyre (2:17.08), Olivia Falls (2:17.06), and Rebecca Lavery (2:06.69) combined to register a stunning Ulster Junior Record of 8:50.27 — obliterating the previous standard of 9:00.50 by over ten seconds.
Mark Craig paid tribute to the quartet and the entire Bangor programme:
“The final night of racing at the Ulster Age Group and Senior Long Course Championships produced some phenomenal racing, but standout among them was the Bangor team in the Female 15 and over 4×200 Freestyle relay. Chloe Stewart, Grace Eyre, Olivia Falls and Rebecca Lavery all contributed to a spectacular Ulster Junior Record of 8:50.27, knocking more than 10 seconds off the previous standard of 9:00.50! An incredible display of strong swimming throughout, with splits suggesting how aggressively each of the swimmers was pursuing the right to push Bangor onto the pedestal of having the best Female Ulster Junior 4×200 team of all time. Well done girls and the Bangor team for your incredible work getting to this point. Thank you to everyone involved over the course of the competition in creating a competitive, positive and engaging environment to showcase the best age group swimmers in the province.”
A Special Word of Thanks
Swim Ulster would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to The Photo Guys, who provided outstanding photographic coverage across all three days of the Championships. Their professionalism and dedication did not go unnoticed, adding immense value to the event for swimmers and families alike who wanted to capture their own piece of this memorable weekend.
Full results from the Ulster Age Group & Senior Long Course Championships are available on the Swim Ulster website. Podium photographs from across the three days are now live in the Gallery section under the UAG & Senior LC Championships 2026 album.
Want to see all your medal winners? Head to the Swim Ulster Gallery now.