The first night of finals at the Irish Open Swimming Championships and Commonwealth Games at the Bangor Aurora saw several of Ireland’s top swimmers, including Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen, qualify for Summer International Meets including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and European Aquatics Championships in Paris in August.
Wiffen got the night underway with a solid swim of 14:51.38 in the 1500m Freestyle to take his first national title of the weekend. Wiffen, who has qualified for both the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, touched ahead of his twin brother Nathan in 15:20.88 and National Centre Limerick’s Daragh Horgan in 16:09.03.
Speaking after the race Wiffen said ‘I’d say it’s 50/50 as to whether I’m happy or not with the swim. I need to look at the splits, I felt really good up to like 1000m, and then I felt like I kind of faded away a little bit and was seizing up. That’s good for an 800m, that’s good for all other events, whereas with the 1500 sometimes you go unbelievable and then sometimes it’s not good at all, and that was kind of middle ground, so I’m pretty pleased, but also kind of disappointed.’
Grace Davison, who set a new Irish Senior and Championship Record of 54.45 in the 100m Freestyle in this morning’s heats, was first home in the final in 54.88 to win her first gold of the week. Larne’s Danielle Hill was second in 55.92 with bronze going to National Centre Ulster’s Victoria Catterson in 56.12
Eighteen-year-old Davison, who has now qualified for the Commonwealth Games and European Aquatics Championships, spoke after the race ‘I’m really happy with that (day), but if I’m honest I’m probably a little bit disappointed with tonight, I wanted to go a bit quicker, I was 54.4 this morning and 54.8 there. But, it’s all learning for me, and I think a big thing for me is learning to be quicker in the morning, so when I do go to the international stage I can progress through the rounds, so if anything, it’s interesting to see that I can go quicker in the morning than in the final. I’m really happy to get all those times out of the way on the first day of the competition, it’s pretty cool.’
In the Open 100m Freestyle Final Evan Bailey improved on his morning time of 48.98 to top the podium in 48.98, a second personal best of the day for the National Centre Limerick swimmer, and under the qualification time for the European Aquatics Championships. Bangor’s James Ward won silver in 49.54 with Lisburn City’s Matthew Hamilton picking up bronze in 49.89.
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin was impressive as he secured the 200m Butterfly National Title in a personal best and Championship Record of 1:57.05, breaking Brendan Hyland’s 2019 record of 1:57.21. Cassin who went under the qualification time for the European Aquatics Championships, was the only swimmer under the two-minute mark with his team mate at Limerick Paddy Johnston second in 2:00.03, while UCD’s Sean Donnellan claimed bronze in 2:01.47.
Ellen Walshe took her first win of the week in the Female 200m Butterfly Final and was under the qualification time for the European Aquatics Championships. The Templeogue swimmer won out in 2:09.74 over National Centre Ulster’s Alana Burns Atkin (2:16.44) and Sundays Wells’ Eve Leleux (2:23.71).
Sundays Wells’ Clare Custer, a triple national champion from 2025, won the 800m Freestyle Final in 8:52.63, under the qualification standard for the European Aquatics Junior Championships. The 18-year-old cruised to victory ahead of Bangor team-mates Chloe Stewart (9:15.76) and Eva Hand (9:18.50). Visitor Fleur Lewis of Loughborough University was first home in the race taking a commemorative gold in 8:48.33.