Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Swimming Championships continued in Dublin on Monday with John Shortt, Mona McSharry and Daniel Wiffen all making headlines.

18-year-old Shortt continued his incredible form this week with an outstanding swim in the 200m Backstroke Semi-Final. The National Centre Limerick swimmer smashed his Irish Senior and Junior Record, the Championship Record and was under the qualification time for the World Aquatics Championships.

The Leaving Certificate student had held the previous records at 1:57.68 and 1:57.90 from 2024. The time, which ranks him sixth in the world this year, was well under the 1:58.07 required for World Championships and 2:03.77 required for European Aquatics Junior Championships, an event in which he won gold in 2024. The Galway native has now qualified the 100m and 200m Backstroke for both events.

Speaking after the race Shortt said ‘It hurt quite a lot, but I knew I had that in me, especially after the 100 that was such a confidence boost during the weekend so I knew I could do something special there. I felt good this morning and was pretty chilled so I knew I had to really go for it tonight and took it out that first 100 as hard as I could and just held on for dear life, but yeah I’m so so happy with that and just proud to be racing here in front of this crowd as well, it’s brilliant like.’

In one of the tightest races of the night, Ireland’s two fastest ever 100m Breaststrokers went head-to-head for the National Title. Mona McSharry and Ellie McCartney had the NAC crowd on their feet as they pulled away from the rest of the field, McSharry just getting the better of McCartney in 1:06.87.

With the time, the Olympic bronze medallist validated her place at the World Championships in Singapore. For McCartney, it was a first swim under 67 seconds in 1:06.97 and it makes the National Centre Limerick swimmer only the second Irishwoman to do so.

McSharry spoke after the race ‘It’s pretty good, the target was 1:07.20, so anything under that I would have been happy with, that’s what I need to get to Worlds and that was the plan for this week, get back into racing long course and be able to qualify’.

Daniel Wiffen continued his fine form with a National Title, Championship Record and World Championships qualification time of 3:46.87 in the 400m Freestyle Final. Wiffen finished ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn who clocked a personal best 3:53.70 to go under the consideration time for the European Aquatics U23 Championships.

In the Female 400m Freestyle Final, Sundays Wells’ Clare Custer won her second national title, adding to the 1500m Freestyle Title she won on Sunday. Custer touched in 4:22.87 behind Germany’s Sophie Lenze who won commemorative gold in 4:19.47. Kingdom’s Lily Doyle was second in 4:27.25 with Larne’s Skye Austin-Burrows completing the podium in 4:27.88. In fifth place Aer Lingus’ Julia Dziedzic secured her second European Youth Olympic Festival consideration time of the day in 4:31.93, having qualified in the 200m Backstroke earlier in the day.

Tom Fannon claimed the national title in the 50m Freestyle, the National Centre Dublin swimmer had clocked Championship records of 21.77 and 21.78 in the heats and semi-final and was under 22 seconds once again taking the gold medal in 21.91. Shane Ryan claimed silver in 22.53 while bronze went to Lisburn City’s Matthew Hamilton in 22.95.

Jack Cassin claimed his first 100m Butterfly National Title in 53.14 seconds. The 21-year-old was under the consideration time for the European U23 Championships for the gold medal ahead of Matthew Hamilton (54.87) and Cassin’s team-mate at National Centre Limerick Brogan McAviney (55.04). Luca-Nik Armbuster of Germany took commemorative gold in 52.38.

In the Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final National Centre Limerick’s Eoin Corby topped the podium in 1:01.45, followed by Bangor’s Adam Bradley (1:02.27) and National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (1:02.73).

Ards’ Grace Davison won a tight affair in the Female 100m Freestyle Final. The Paris Olympian touched the wall in 56.05 to claim her second consecutive National Title in the event. National Centre Dublin’s Victoria Catterson took silver in 56.19 and National Centre Limerick’s Danielle Farrell bronze in 56.62.

 

Further Reading for Sport for Business members:

Daniel Wiffen on Surfing, World Records and More

 

 

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The Championships run from 12th to 16th April at the Sport Ireland Campus

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