John Shortt and Jack Kelly starred on the second night of finals at the Irish Open Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials in Bangor. The duo set new Irish and Championship records and joined several other swimmers in securing twenty-four consideration times across the European Aquatics Championships, Commonwealth Games, European Para Swimming Championships and European Aquatics Junior Championships this summer.
Shortt was outstanding as he clocked a new Irish and Championship Record of 53.17 in the 100m Backstroke Final, the fourth fastest time in the world so far this year, and under the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships. The 19-year-old had set the current Irish Record of 53.37 at the Giant Open in Paris just two weeks ago, while the Championship Record of 53.73 had stood since 2019. Shortt was joined on the podium by team-mates at NCL Paddy Johnston (55.57) and Neddie Irwin (56.54).
Shortt spoke after the race ‘Yeah, I mean, it was a good race. I’m going to have to check the splits and see what I was, but yeah really good race. Kind of a bit disappointed, wanted to be 52 but you can’t have it all your own way – can’t be too angry at a 53 low.’
Jack Kelly made a statement on his Championship debut, setting an Irish Record and improving his own Championship Record in the 50m Breaststroke. The 23?year?old, who hails from Yonkers, New York and has an Irish mother from Cork, has committed to representing Ireland internationally. Kelly broke Darragh Greene’s 2019 Irish Record of 26.94 and bettered the Championship mark of 26.97 he set in the morning heats, touching in 26.84 to dip under the European Aquatics Championships consideration time. Greene (Longford) was second in the final in 27.62 and Eoin Corby (National Centre Limerick) third in 27.81, both swimmers were under the European Aquatics Championships consideration time today.
Speaking after the race Kelly said, ‘I feel amazing, when I looked at the board and saw that pb (personal best) I was ecstatic, it just goes to show that working with Bob (Bowman) down in Austin (Texas) has hugely paid off, so a great way to start my meet.’
On achieving a consideration time for the European Championships and the possibility of representing Ireland for the first time he said ‘I’m really honoured, just to honour my heritage, and I think it’s a really cool opportunity to get some international races under my belt, and for me this will be the first one so I’m kind of excited to see how I do.’
National Centre Ulster’s Rosalie Phelan set a new Championship Record in the 50m Butterfly, adding her name to the growing list of swimmers under the European Aquatics Championships consideration time. Phelan lowered Danielle Hill’s 2022 mark of 26.84 with a winning swim of 26.62. Her NCU team?mate Alana Burns Atkin placed second in 27.16, inside the U23 consideration standard, while Hill claimed bronze in 27.26.
Lottie Cullen improved her heat time of 1:01.26 to 1:00.35 to win the Female 100m Backstroke Final. The National Centre Ulster swimmer topped the podium and was under the consideration standard for both the Commonwealth Games and European Aquatics Championships. Ards’ Grace Davison (1:00.61), in second, was also under both consideration times, while Danielle Hill (1:02.31), in fourth, validated her time from last year’s World Aquatics Championships. National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden won the bronze medal in 1:01.87.
Four Para swimmers were also under qualification times today for the European Para Swimming Championships in Turkey in September. Ellie Lynch (1:21.49) and Luke O’Donoghue (1:09.17) both added their names to the list of qualifiers in the 100m Backstroke joining previously qualified Barry McClements (1:04.51 100m Backstroke) and Dearbhaile Brady (35.90 50m Butterfly).
Ellen Walshe dominated the 400m Individual Medley Final to take her second national title of the week in 3:39.38. The Templeogue swimmer, already a gold medallist in the 200m Butterfly earlier in the week, was once again inside the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships. She touched ahead of Limerick’s Maren Clayton Byrne (4:55.22) and Aer Lingus’ Julia Dziedzic (5:00.30), with both swimmers under the consideration standard for the European Aquatics Junior Championships.
Two more European consideration times were achieved in the Open 400m Individual Medley as Liam Custer (Sundays Wells) won gold in 4:23.14 under the U23 standard for the European Aquatics Championships, and Blackrock’s Phelim Macken posted a European Junior Championships time of 4:29.03 in second. Tom Wilkinson (Banbridge) rounded out the podium in 4:31.45.
100m Breaststroke Olympic medallist Mona McSharry claimed her first national title of the weekend as she came home first in the Female 50m Breaststroke Final. McSharry was once again under the European Aquatics Championships consideration time in 30.43. University of Limerick’s Eimear Doyle won silver in 32.06 with bronze going to National Centre Limerick’s Isabel Kidney in 32.51.
Bangor’s James Ward won the Open 50m Butterfly Final in 24.17, followed by Lisburn City’s Dylan Registe in 24.30 and National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin in 24.49. National Centre Dublin’s Federico Poggio won commemorative silver in 27.44.