A REGIONAL development 1 meet was held at the end of January. The competition was held over two locations, Thurles and Askeaton, with Cork clubs split across the two venues.

Tadgh O’Brien led the medal charge for Fermoy SC with four gold from his four events. First up was the 50m breaststroke where he improved on his PB by 7.89 seconds to claim victory ahead of Culann Harrington, SWSC. He then took on the 100m IM and topped an all Cork podium in an exciting final which saw the top three all post times sub 1.34. O’Brien with a 2.85 second PB 1:33.26, Matthew Mahony, Dolphin 1:33.91 (5.82PB) and Liam O’Driscoll SWSC 1:33.92 (8.51PB). O’Brien had another impressive PB at 50m backstroke 42.4 (5.87PB) with Mahony again in second 46.9 (1.36PB). He closed out his day with victory at 50m freestyle 37.96 (1.03PB).

Emma Crowley narrowly missed out on gold at 50m backstroke, posting 44.78 (4.61PB) behind Alicia Lyons, Streamline 44.09. Cara O’Farrell, SWSC completed the podium 46.23 (13.76PB). Crowley had to settle for bronze at 50m breaststroke 54.72. Victory went to Megan Crowley, Dolphin 52.52 with Caoilinn O’Connor, SWSC in second 54.32.

In the 12-13 age group, Kayla Whelan Klonowski also returned with four gold. She posted a dramatic 25.55 second PB at 100m IM 1:19.35 to win comfortably ahead of club mate Grace Duggan 1:25.22 (12.71PB). She added victories at 50m backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Duggan was rewarded with gold at 100m freestyle 1:16.30 (6.20PB).

Adam Duggan improved his 100m freestyle by 8.72 seconds 1:13.52 to hold off the chasing Gerard Adler, Tiger Sharks 1:13.63 with club mate Sam O’Brien completing the podium 1:16.60. Duggan had another impressive PB at 100m IM, shaving 15.49 seconds to touch on 1:23.36. He added a third gold at 50m breaststroke 42.91 (9.49PB).

In the 14&Over age group, Eabha Burke collected three gold from three events. She posted 1:18.09 (12.09PB) at 100m IM. She also improved by 12 seconds at 100m freestyle 1:09.22 to win ahead of Rhiannon Whelan, Streamline 1:10.92. Burke topped an all Cork podium at 50m backstroke 39.26 (5.71PB) with Eva Butler Streamline 39.90 (3.01PB) and Catherine Hegarty SWSC 40.82 (8.93PB).

Jack Duggan won double gold at 100m IM and 50m breaststroke, while Luke O’Shea won double silver at 100m IM and 50m freestyle.

The young swimmers from Dolphin SC also had a good trip to Thurles. Matthew Mahony added silver at 100m freestyle 1:27.37. He was followed home by Christian Mahony 1:28.42 (9.6PB). Liam O’Driscoll, SWSC was the comfortable winner touching on 1:23.43 (7.49PB).

Alexis Spooner was the victor at 100m freestyle 1:27.96 (2.02PB) ahead of Alicia Lyons, Streamline 1:28.96. The positions were reversed at 100m IM with Lyons on 1:36.92 and Spooner on 1:39.37 (2.81PB). Hazel Dwyer was first home at 50m butterfly 47.43 with club mate Abbie Foley in third with 52.34. Foley secured silver at 50m freestyle.

In the 14&Over age group, Ciaran O’Keeffe won double silver at 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke. Vincent Leahy won bronze at 50m butterfly and Molly O’Donovan also won bronze at 50m butterfly.

Liam O’Driscoll, SWSC added a second victory at 50m butterfly42.77 (7.49PB) ahead of his club mate Culann Harrington in second 46.70.

There were further medals for the athletes from Streamline with Casey Whelan the victor at 100m IM. Charlotte Tuytten won silver at 50m freestyle in the 10-11 age group 36.78 (2.76PB) while Eva Butler added silver in the 14& Over age group. Butler also won bronze at 50m breaststroke. Rhiannan Whelan topped the podium in the 14&Over 50m butterfly.

Over at the Askeaton venue, the Mallow Swans club enjoyed the lion’s share of the medals. In the 10-11 age group, Liadh Boag was the star with victory at 100m freestyle 1:23.84. She was the bronze medallist at 100m IM 1:38.84. She narrowly missed out on a second bronze at 50m backstroke 48.15, losing out to club mate Clara Riordan 47.09.

Fionn O’Brien won silver at 50m freestyle 46.16. He was joined on the podium by club mate Thomas Edwards 49.22. Daithi Murphy and Steven McHugh also collected silver, Murphy at 50m breaststroke and McHugh at 50m butterfly.

There was double silver for Hazel Kenny in the 12-13 age group. Just 2/100ths of a second separated Kenny 1:36.56 from her club mate Silin Murphy 1:36.58 at 100mIM. Kenny’s second silver came at 50m breaststroke 48.06. She was followed home by club mates Emile Browne 48.53 for bronze and Grace O’Connor just missing out on a medal with 48.90. Ciara Galvin, West Cork Orcas (WCO) was the victor, posting 46.42.

Evan Buckley won silver at 50m breaststroke 53.88 and bronze at 100m IM 1:28.53. Sam Fagan was the silver medallist in the 14&Over age group at 50m freestyle.

The Van Dam brothers won a large share of the medals for Clonakilty. Cailim with victories in all four events, 100m IM, 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle. Dillon with victory at 100m freestyle and double bronze at 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.

There were bronze medals for Lewis Timmons, Mark Fitzpatrick and Katie Ryan.

Ciara Galvin WCO added bronze at 50m freestyle. There was gold at 50m backstroke and silver at 50m butterfly for Ella McCarthy. McCarthy narrowly missed out on two further bronze medals at 100m & 50m freestyle, placed 4th in each. Katie Collins won double silver at 50m breaststroke and 50m butterfly and also collected bronze at 50m butterfly. Lile O’Sullivan, Sadhbh McCarthy and Emma Eady each won bronze.