After four days of thrilling racing, the penultimate session of the 2025 Irish Open Championships took place on Wednesday morning at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre, with Ellen Walshe continuing to impress.
Fresh off setting two Irish Senior Records in the 200m Freestyle on Tuesday, Walshe returned to the blocks for the final morning of heats. The Templeogue swimmer showed no sign of slowing up, clocking a time of 4:41.86 in the 400m Individual Medley. Walshe, who holds the Irish Senior Record and Championship Record in the event in 4:37.18, went well under the 4:43.06 ‘A’ Standard mark for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
In the Open 400m IM, Phelim Hanley of Blackrock will head into tonight’s final as the quickest qualifier in 4:31.72. Hanley will look to close out his impressive week on a high, having already secured consideration times for the European Aquatics Junior Championships in the 100m and 200m Butterfly.
Current Irish Senior Record (27.64) holder Danielle Hill is top seed for tonight’s 50m Backstroke Final after she clocked 28.50 in this morning’s heat swim. Fellow Olympian Shane Ryan will enter the Open category as fastest Irish man after he went 25.73.
Ryan will also have his sights set on the 50m Butterfly Irish Senior Record after he clocked 23.47 this morning, swimming just .03 outside of current record holder Max McCusker’s time of 23.44. Emma Coulter of Ards will be top seed (27.63) heading into the women’s category, with UCD’s Jena Macdougald the second fastest qualifier in 27.99.
In the Open 50m Breaststroke, Bangor man Adam Bradley will head to the blocks this evening as top seed following his time of 28.72 in the heats. Athlone’s Christian O’Brien will join him in the middle lanes after clocked 28.92.
Portmarnock’s Ava Jones secured the centre lane for tonight’s 50m Breaststroke Final, after she was quickest this morning in 32.41, ahead of National Centre Dublin swimmer Niamh Coyne (32.47).
There was an exciting conclusion to this morning’s session as Coolmine swimmer Anna Joyce hit the consideration time for the European Youth Olympic Festival during a time trial in the 100m Breaststroke.
A bumper schedule of finals awaits the NAC crowd which will include sixteen opportunities for Irish swimmers to claim championship gold. This evening will see the return of Daniel Wiffen in the 1500m Freestyle Final, the top seed (16:15.99) will look to secure his third gold of the week. The final session of the championships will also include finals in the Open and Female 50m Backstroke, 400m IM, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 200m Breaststroke, Female 50m Freestyle, Female 800m Freestyle, Open 100m Freestyle, Female 200m Freestyle and Open 200m Butterfly.
This evening’s session will get underway at the earlier time of 4pm.