The curtain came down on a brilliant year for Irish swimming, as the 2023 Irish Winter National Championships concluded after three days of exciting racing at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre.
The final day of competition followed a similar pattern to the days previous as Irish records continued to fall. Danielle Hill, Evan Bailey, Grace Davison, and Ards Relay Team all setting new standards on day three.
Larne’s Danielle Hill continued her charge on the Irish senior record books, lowering the women’s 50m Freestyle senior record to 24.00, to claim her fourth national title this week. In the same race, Grace Davison of Ards also continued her record-breaking form, setting a new Irish junior record with 25.38. Hill and Davison both broke their own records set at the recent European Championships in Romania.
Evan Bailey continued his impressive form, rewriting the Irish Records for a sixth time in three days. This evening, Bailey lowered the Men’s 100m Butterfly junior record to 52.20, also taking the national gold back to Wexford. Earlier in the day, the New Ross man broke his own record of 52.94 set at the recent European Short Course Championships, with 52.60. Silver went to National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin, who finished closely behind Bailey with 52.52, Cassin was followed by David O’Loughlin (54.12) of Tallaght who won bronze.
Earlier in the day, Ards set a new Irish Senior Club Record in the Women’s 4×50 Medley Relay, Grace Davison, Ellie McCartney, Victoria Catterson and Emma Reid clocked a combined time of 1:51.78, breaking the record of 1.53.99, set by Aer Lingus in 2019. Sundays Well touched in 1:57.80 in second, while UCD won bronze in 1:58.36.
Limerick took the top spot on the podium in the men’s relay with 1:40.34 while silver was claimed by NAC (1:42.64), bronze went to Lisburn City (1:45.11).
Brandon Biss (Swim Belfast) was first home in the Men’s 200 Backstroke Final with 1:57.65 to claim the national gold, National Centre (Limerick) swimmer Neddie Irwin (1:59.28) was next to touch with bronze going to Bangor’s Brydan Bryne (2:00.26).
In the Women’s 200 Backstroke Final, Maria Godden charged home with 2:06.19 taking the national gold back to National Centre (Limerick), Lottie Cullen (National Centre Ulster) was next to touch with 2:10.31. There was a close finish for bronze as Ards’ Naeve Pountney (2:17.31) finished just .3 seconds ahead of fourth place Shannon Byrne.
National Centre Dublin swimmers Calum Bain and Tom Fannon served up a thriller in the Men’s 50 Freestyle Final as both thrashed through the NAC pool under the twenty-two second mark. It was Bain who touched first in 21.32 to take gold with Fannon stopping the clock at 21.47. Dylan Registe (Lisburn) was next home claiming bronze in 22.75, in a race stacked with quality swimmers.
In the Men’s 50 Breaststroke Final National Centre Dublin’s Eoin Corby claimed gold with 27.37, while Dmytro Cherkasov (27.30) was awarded a commemorative gold. Jacob Armon (Banbridge) went 27.59 to claim silver with bronze going to Terenure’s Liam O’Connor (27.69).
Niamh Coyne (National Centre Dublin) took top spot on the podium following her Women’s 50 Breaststroke Final gold in 31.23. Ava Jones (Portmarnock) was next to touch with 31.81 to claim silver, with bronze going to Isabel Kidney (Sundays Well) in 32.12.
Templeogue’s Ellen Walshe went under the one-minute mark (59.22) to claim the Women’s 100m Butterfly, adding another national title to her ever-impressive CV. Alana Burns-Atkin (Banbridge) claimed the second spot on the podium in 1:00.01, National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney clocked 1:00.36 to take the final podium spot.
There was a quick turnaround for Walshe as she returned to the blocks for the 100m Medley Final, taking gold in a time of 59.57. Ards’ Grace Davison set a new Irish Junior Record on her way to silver with 1:01.38, taking down Molly Mayne’s 2021 record of 1.01.88. Jena McDougland went 1:03.84 to take the bronze back to UCD.
In the Men’s 100m Medley Final, National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin topped the podium with 53.81, Eoin Corby was next home with 54.78 followed by Liam O’Connor (Terenure) with 56.79.
The penultimate event of the competition was the Men’s 400m Freestyle Final with National Centre Limerick producing a clean sweep. Tokyo Olympian Finn McGeever claimed the national title in 3:50.75, his National Centre teammate Jeremy Bagshaw was a awarded the commemorative gold with 3:45.03. National silver went to Cormac Rynn in 3:52.21 with a commemorative silver going to Mark Szaranek (3:45.05), Denis O’Brien completed the podium with 3:55.60.
The Women’s 400m Freestyle Final closed out the competition, National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden claimed her second national title of the day, winning in 4:08.65. Victoria Catterson (National Centre Dublin) was next to touch with a time of 4:13.22 following by Danielle Farrell (National Centre Limerick) in 4:19.13.
Speaking on the conclusion of the 2023 Irish Winter National Championships, Swim Ireland National Performance Director Jon Rudd said: “It’s been an excellent three days of racing in Dublin, and it brings a fitting end to a brilliant year for us, particularly after last week’s incredible highs at the European Championships in Romania. It was great to see many athletes swim again here following Otopeni, and in the majority of cases, they found that the back-to-back racing stimulus allowed them to swim faster again here. To add to the record books further, with 4 Irish Senior Records and 8 Irish Junior Records re-written in the National Aquatic Centre is extremely uplifting and Irish swimming certainly looks to be buzzing following the success of Daniel Wiffen and all other members of the team in Europe this month. It will be feet firmly on the ground soon enough with the long course season upon us from January – but confidence and belief run through Irish athletes right now – and that’s a fuel we can certainly use to our combined advantage in 2024. A very Merry Christmas to the Swim Ireland family – we know you’re all with us as we hit the ground running again in the New Year!”
Day Three Results
Men 200 Backstroke Final: 1st Brandon Biss (Swim Belfast) 1:57.65, 2nd Neddie Irwin (National Centre Limerick) 1:59.28, 3rd Brydan Bryne (2:00.26).
Women 200 Backstroke Final: 1st Maria Godden (National Centre Limerick), 2:06.19, 2nd Lottie Cullen (National Centre Ulster) 2:10.35, 3rd Naeve Pountney (Ards) 2:17.31
Men 50 Freestyle Final: 1st Calum Bain (National Centre Dublin), 21.32 2nd Tom Fannon (National Centre Dublin) 21.47 3rd Dylan Registe (Lisburn) 22.75
Women’s 50 Freestyle Final: 1st Danielle Hill (Larne) 24.00 – ISR, 2nd Grace Davison (Ards) 25.38 – IJR, 3rd Rosalie Phelan (Cormorant), 26.24.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke Final: 1st Eoin Corby (National Centre Dublin) 27.37, Commemorative 1st Dmytro Cherkasov 27.30, 2nd Jacob Armon (Banbridge) 27.59, 3rd Liam O’Connor (Terenure/P28) 27.69.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke Final: 1st Niamh Coyne (National Centre Dublin) 31.23, 2nd Ava Jones (Portmarnock) 31.81, 3rd Isabel Kidney (Sundays Well) 32.12.
Men’s 100 Butterfly Final: 1st Evan Bailey (New Ross) 52.20 – IJR, 2nd Jack Cassin (National Centre Limerick) 52.52, 3rd David O’Loughlin (Tallaght) 54.12.
Women’s 100 Butterfly Final: 1st Ellen Walshe (Templeogue) 59.22, 2nd Alana Burns-Atkin (Banbridge) 1:00.01,3rd Ellie McCartney (National Centre Limerick) 1:00.36.
Men’s 100 Medley Final: 1st Jack Cassin (National Centre Limerick) 53.81, 2nd Eoin Corby (National Centre Dublin) 54.78, 3rd Liam O’Connor (Terenure) 56.79.
Women’s 100 Medley Final: 1st Ellen Walshe (Templeogue) 59.57, 2nd Grace Davison (Ards) 1:01.38, 3rd Jena McDougland (UCD) 1:03.84.
Men’s 400 Freestyle Final: 1st Finn McGeever (National Centre Limerick) 3:50.75, Commemorative 1st, Jeremy Bagshaw (National Centre Limerick) 3:45.03, 2nd Cormac Rynn (National Centre Limerick) 3:52.21, 2nd Commemorative Mark Szaranek (Limerick) 3:45.05, 3rd Denis O’Brien (National Centre Limerick), 3:55.60
Women’s 400 Freestyle Final: 1st Maria Godden (National Centre Limerick), 4:08.65 2nd Victoria Catterson (National Centre Dublin) 4:13.22, 3rd Danielle Farrell (National Centre Limerick) 4:19.13.
Women’s 200 Medley Relay: 1st Ards 1:51.78 2nd Sundays Well 1:57.80 3rd UCD 1:58.36
Men’s 200 Medley Relay: 1st Limerick 1:40.34 2nd NAC 1:42.64 3rd Lisburn 1:45.11
