Hill, Davison, and Bailey Set New Irish Records
Irish swimmers had an impressive opening morning in the Olympic Complex Otopeni as the European Aquatics Championships (25m) got underway. Five Irish swimmers will compete in this evening’s session; Ellen Walshe and Daniel Wiffen are both into finals while Danielle Hill, Shane Ryan and Max McCusker are all through to semi-finals. Three new Irish Records were also set in the Romanian capital.
Ellen Walshe got the first day of competition underway, comfortably progressing to the final of the 400m Individual Medley. Walshe was second in her heat and progresses third overall in 4:34.32.
Looking ahead to this evening’s Final Walshe commented ‘I think just go out there and enjoy it, we put pressure on ourselves, and I think you just have to sit back and do what you do best and go out there and enjoy the crowd, I know we have a lot of Irish fans here tonight, so it should be good fun.’
Daniel Wiffen cruised into the 400m Freestyle Final, after placing second in his heat and will be ranked third into this evening’s final in 3:39.54.
Speaking after his race Wiffen said ‘It was a bit of a shock diving in, as I never really do this event, so it was quite fun. I did see someone going out very fast so thought I’ll have to back half the race, but through to the final and looking forward to it.’
Danielle Hill solidified her position as Ireland’s fastest female swimmer setting a new Irish Record of 24.33 in the 50m Freestyle. Hill had held the previous Irish best of 24.44, set in 2019. The Larne swimmers time qualified her eleventh into this evening’s semi-final. In the same event Ards’ Grace Davison set a new Irish Junior Record. The 16-year-old touched in 25.64, breaking her own 2022 record of 25.73.
Hill spoke after the race commenting ‘I’m really happy, coming into this first day I just wanted to start on the front foot, I had a really positive Ulster Short Course a few weeks ago and I took that into this. There’s no reason to be scared of short course swimming, I train it every day, so listen, I was in a really good place and happy it’s come through into the water.’
In the Men’s 100m Butterfly, Max McCusker swam a best time of 51.27 to advance to the semi-final in 11th place overall. In the same event, New Ross’ Evan Bailey set a new Irish Junior Record of 52.94, breaking Jack Cassin’s 2022 record of 53.23.
Shae Ryan impressed, winning his heat of the 50m Backstroke in 23.52 and will contest this evening’s semi-finals ranked sixth overall.
Also, in action today, Nathan Wiffen knocked four seconds off his personal best time, in his team Ireland debut in the 400m Freestyle clocking 3:43.69. Erin Riordan (24.97) and Victoria Catterson (25.58) both swam best times in the 50m Freestyle Heats. Competing at their first European Short Course Championships John Shortt (50m Backstroke), Dylan Registe (100m Butterfly) and Ellie McCartney (100m Breaststroke) also swam best times.
2023 European Aquatics SC Swimming Championships (Otopeni, Romania)
Day 1 – Tuesday 5th December l Heats Results
| Women’s 400m Individual Medley | Ellen Walshe | 4:34.32 (3rd) FINAL |
| Men’s 400m Freestyle | Daniel Wiffen | 3:39.54 (3rd) FINAL |
| Nathan Wiffen | 3:43.69 (19th) | |
| Women 50m Freestyle | Danielle Hill | 24.33 (11th) ISR SEMI-FINAL |
| Erin Riordan | 24.97 (23rd) | |
| Victoria Catterson | 25.58 (27th) | |
| Grace Davison | 25.64 (39th) IJR | |
| Men 50m Backstroke | Shane Ryan | 23.52 (6th) SEMI-FINAL |
| John Shortt | 24.47 (24th) | |
| Women 100m Breaststroke | Ellie McCartney | 1:07.50 (26th) |
| Men 100m Butterfly | Max McCusker | 51.27 (11th) SEMI-FINAL |
| Evan Bailey | 52.94 (23rd) IJR | |
| Dylan Registe | 54.37 (27th) |
Day 1 – Tuesday 5th December l Finals Schedule (All times are Irish)
| Women’s 400m Individual Medley | Ellen Walshe | 16.00 |
| Men’s 400m Freestyle | Daniel Wiffen | 16.09 |
| Women 50m Freestyle | Danielle Hill | 16.21 |
| Men 50m Backstroke | Shane Ryan | 16.25 |
| Men 100m Butterfly | Max McCusker | 16.41 |
