Ellen Walshe has smashed one of Ireland’s longest standing Irish Records at the Leinster Swimming Championships at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre today.

Templeogue Swimming Club’s Walshe clocked 4:37.94 in the 400m Individual Medley, knocking over a second off the 1996 record of 4:39.18 held by Michelle Smith.

Today’s swim was Walshe’s first venture under the 4.40 mark, with her previous best sitting at 4:41.30 from the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour in Barcelona in 2023.

Already qualified for the Paris Games in the 200m Individual Medley, the 22-year-old’s time today was under the Olympic Qualification Time of 4:38.53, but she’ll need to have a similar performance at the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials (22nd – 26th May) in less than three weeks to be able to swim it in Paris.