Irish swimmers had another impressive evening at the Duna Arena in Budapest last night as Shane Ryan confirmed a place in his first World Final since 2018, Ellen Walshe broke her sixth Irish Record and Danielle Hill moved up the rankings to eleventh in the World.
Shane Ryan improved on his time from Thursday morning’s heats in the 50m Backstroke to make today’s Final in the event, the 30-year-olds first World Final since the World Championships (SC) in 2018.
Ryan led for much of the 50m sprint but was pipped in the last five metres to finish fourth in his heat and eighth overall in 22.89, faster than his heat time of 22.98 and just .13 of a second off his Irish Record of 22.76 set in that last World Final in 2018, where he won 50m Backstroke bronze for Ireland.
“I’m good, but annoyed, no look I didn’t get any sleep during the day, and if you don’t get any sleep, you’ve just got to chill out the best you can and take your mind away from it, but I get very excited about racing,” he said after the race.
“But look I came in, shoulder felt a bit better, but again it’s just lack of racing this year and I think if I do a bit more racing, I got faster there which was good, so it’s just cleaning it up again, that’s it, going out, having fun, racing the other boys, because it was fast.”
The 50m Backstroke Final will take place today at 17.12 Irish Time with live coverage being streamed on Eurovision Sport.
Ellen Walshe continued her outstanding record-breaking form, securing her sixth Irish record in just three days of racing.
Having lowered the 100m Individual Medley Record of 59.30, that she set in November, to 58.85 in Thursday morning’s heats, the Templeogue swimmer knocked another .3 of a second off, touching in 58.55 for fourth in her heat, just missing out on the Final in ninth place overall.
“I was in the middle lanes with the fastest girls and it’s a great race to be part of and I can see myself in the mix, but yeah it’s not a main event for me and I think sprint is very different from what I’m used to, so I’m happy enough with the swim,” she said.
“It’s been a great meet so far and may it continue into the 100 Fly tomorrow, but yeah it’s been great and there’s been great team support.”
Danielle Hill was just one hundredth of a second off her Irish Record in the Women’s 50m Backstroke Semi-Final as she clocked 26.34 to move up the world rankings from thirteenth to eleventh. Hill’s Irish Record currently stands at 26.33 from the European Championships (SC) in 2023.
“I’m happy that I done what I wanted to from heats to semi’s and fixed what I wanted to fix, 50s are so hard because you’ve got to get everything right, the littlest of errors and it will go against you so yeah listen, I fixed what I wanted to fix is the best way to put it,” she said.
Hill returns to the pool on Saturday for the 50m Freestyle.
Joining Ryan and Walshe in action on Friday, National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney and Eoin Corby compete in the 200m Breaststroke, McCartney making her World Championships debut for Ireland, while Max McCusker returns for the 100m Butterfly heats.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
Six Irish Records in three days is a remarkable achievement for Ellen Walshe and should put here in the frame for the Irish Times Sportswoman of the Month Award.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
All of Day Four’s action is streaming live on Eurovision Sport.
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