Records Tumble on Day 2 of Irish Swimming Championships

Irish swimmers were in record breaking form on the second night of competition at the Irish Short Course Swimming Championships in Lisburn. Danielle Hill and Gerry Quinn broke Irish junior records, UCD continued their great form with a second club relay record while Ards ladies joined the party with a relay record of their own.

Hill was the first record breaker of the day when she won the 200m Backstroke Final. The Larne swimmer knocked seven tenths of a second off Aisling Cooney’s 2007 record of 2:12.79 finishing in 2:12.03. Kells’ Laoise Fleming was second in 2:13.80 while 50m Bacstroke Gold medallist Jane Roberts claimed Bronze in 2:16.19.

Longford’s Gerry Quinn broke his first Irish record in the 100m Freestyle Final. The 17 year old broke Curtis Coulter’s 2013 record touching in 49.22 seconds, the previous record was 49.34. Coulter claimed silver in the race in 49.92 seconds with NAC’s Matthew Coward (51.02) third.

Yesterday’s record breaking UCD trio of Alex Melennec, Jack Keogh, David Prendergast with Dean Power topped the podium with a second Irish Club Relay Record of the weekend, this time in the 400m Freestyle Relay. The quartet smashed NUIM Devils 2009 record of 3:25.28 by almost 3 seconds combining for a time of 3:22.50.

Ards women joined in on the records in the final event of the night to a packed crowd in Lisburn. Bethany Firth, sisters Emma and Rebecca Reid and Mary Kate McDowell were in fantastic form as they toppled UCD’s record by two tenths of a second finishing in 3:49.60. UCD had set a new standard of 3:49.84 just last month.

Earlier in the night Firth added two more individual Gold to yesterday’s 100m Freestyle in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Individual Medley. The 19 year old beat Niamh Kilgallen (26.25) and Mona McSharry (26.30) in the 50m Freestyle with a winning time of 26.19 seconds. She was back on the podium after taking Gold in the 100m Individual Medley in 1 minute 3.51 seconds, Mona McSharry claimed silver in that race in 1:03.73 followed very closely by Niamh Kilgallen (1:03.77).

Aer Lingus’ Andrew Meegan added 1500m Gold to yesterday’s 400m Title as he cruised to victory over Brendan Gibbons (15:42.75) in 15 minutes, 24.79 seconds.

UCD Swimming’s Darragh Greene doubled his up his Gold medals with a win in the 100m Breaststroke in 1 minute 2.13 seconds, Greene had won 50m Breaststroke Gold yesterday. Limerick’s Emmet Crowley collected Silver in 1:03.92 while Dolphins Liam Doyle was third in 1:04.56.

Ards team mates James Brown and Curtis Coulter went 1-2 in the 200m Butterfly Final. In an exciting race Brown got to the wall in 2:02.15 just .15 of a second ahead of Coulter in 2:02.30. Emma Reid won out in a thrilling 100m Butterfly Final, the 16 year old Ards swimmer clocked 1:01.75 to win Gold ahead of Lydia Kehoe (1:02.37) and Jane Roberts (1:02.49).

Conor Ferguson continued his Backstroke dominance with a win in the 50m event. Ferguson swam an impressive 24.94 seconds to take Gold with Limerick’s Alan Corby (25.78) in second and Jack McMillan (26.58) third. Aer Lingus’ Aisling Haughey was first home in the 50m Breaststroke to take Gold ahead of Claremorris’ Niamh Kilgallen (32.78) in 32.54 seconds while Tallaght’s Niamh Coyne was third in 33.41.

Antoinette Neamt and Rachel Bethel battled it out in the 400m Freestyle Final. The two juniors fought to the end with Tallaght swimmer Neamt eventually touching the wall just ahead of Bethel in 4:12.83, Bethel was only two tenths of a second behind in 4:13.05.

Trojan’s Ben Griffin put in a commanding performance in the 200m Individual Medley to claim the national title in 2 minutes 2.61 seconds and there was the smallest of margins between second and third with Ennis’ Bernard Cahill (2:04.06) getting the touch just ahead of Aer Lingus’ Benjamin Doyle (2:04.09).

Competition continues tomorrow.

– END –

Results Day 2

Men 1500m Freestyle Final: 1^st A Meegan Aer Lingus 15:24.79 2^nd B Gibbons Athlone 15:42.75 3^rd E O’Brien Limerick 15:47.68

Women 50m Freestyle Final: 1^st B Firth Ards 26.19 2^nd N Kilgallen Claremorris 26.25 3^rd M McSharry Marlins 26.30

Men 100m Breaststroke Final: 1^st D Greene UCD 1:02.13 2^nd E Crowley Limerick 1:03.92 3^rd L Doyle Dolphin 1:04.56

Women 200m Backstroke Final: 1^st D Hill Larne 2:12.03 IJR 2^nd L Fleming Kells 2:13.80 3^rd A Cunningham Sundays Well 2:16.19

Men 200m Butterfly Final: 1^st J Brown Ards 2:02.15 2^nd C Coulter Ards 2:02.30 3^rd J Mooney Limerick 2:03.94

100m Butterfly Final: 1^st E Reid Ards 1:01.75 2^nd L Kehoe New Ross 1:02.37 3^rd J Roberts UCD 1:02.49

Men 50m Backstroke Final: 1^st C Ferguson Larne 24.94 2^nd Alan Corby Limerick 25.78 3^rd J McMillan Bangor 26.58

Women 50m Breaststroke Final: 1^st A Haughey Aer Lingus 32.54 2^nd N Kilgallen Claremorris 32.78 3^rd N Coyne Tallaght 33.41

Men 200m IM Final: 1^st B Griffin Trojan 2:02.61 2^nd B Cahill Ennis 2:04.06 3^rd B Doyle Aer Lingus 2:04.09

Women 400m Freestyle Final: 1^st A Neamt Tallaght 4:2.83 2^nd R Bethel Lisburn 4:13.05 3^rd T Corry Portmarnock 4:20.11

Men 100m Freestyle Final: 1^st G Quinn Longford 49.22 IJR 2^nd C Coulter Ards 49.92 3^rd M Coward NAC 51.02

Women 100m IM Final: 1^st B Firth Ards 1:03.51 2^nd M McSharry Marlins 1:03.73 3^rd N Kilgallen Claremorris 1:03.77

Men 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final: 1^st UCD 3:22,50 2^nd Ards 3:26.16 3^rd Aer Lingus 3:26.16

Women 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final: 1^st Ards 3:49.60 2^nd Sundays Well 3:54.87 3^rd Aer Lingus 3:58.76