Swim Ireland team claim medals at Luxembourg Euro Meet
The Irish swimming team and staff who competed at the 23rd edition of the Luxembourg Euro Meet. Picture: Helen Desmond
SWIM Ireland sent a team of 17 athletes, from both the Performance and Performance Transition cohorts of the National Programme, to the 23rd Edition of the Luxembourg Euro Meet recently.
The team was led by Olympian and current European Record holder (Short Course) 800m freestyle, Daniel Wiffen.
This prestigious meet attracted teams from across Europe, USA, Canada, South Africa and Japan. Some of the international stars in action over the three-day meet, included Chad Le Clos, Mykhailo Romanchuk, Thomas Ceccon, Ben Proud, the Hanson sisters, Sophie & Louise and Marco Koch.
The Irish team had some outstanding individual performances and combined for silver & 4th place in the team events. That stellar performance yielded a 2nd place classification in the overall team results. This was an outstanding performance at the beginning of the long course season and has given a real sense of optimism, in the lead in to the Irish Trials in April, when this cohort of athletes will be looking for qualification to World and European Championships events over the summer.
Wiffen went head-to-head in the 1,500m freestyle final, with Ukrainian, Mykhailo Romanchuk, Tokyo Olympic silver medallist, on the first evening. Wiffen led for the first 200m then Romanchuk took over for the next 800m, but little separated the pair, each keeping the other in view on every breath. Wiffen made a move with 400m to go and held that marginal lead for a further 200m. But Romanchuk never lost touch and resumed the lead with 100m to go. Wiffen challenged bravely, but it was Romanchuk who touched first on 14:59.28, Wiffen closing it out on 15:00.34.
The two resumed their rivalry on day two in the 800m final. Wiffen, the current European Record Holder in this event, over Short Course, led from the start and was the comfortable winner, touching on 7:53.14. Romanchuk found himself in a battle for 2nd place with Egyptian, Mahmoud Ahmed, but it was Ahmed who clinched silver by the narrowest of margins, 7:57.52 to Romanchuk’s 7:57.56.
Wiffen claimed his second gold on the final evening with victory in the 400m freestyle 3:50.24. Ahmed was again in 2nd place with 3:53.70 and the Welshman, Tyler Melbourn-Smyth completed the podium on 3:57.35.
Another to shine for Ireland was backstroke specialist, Maria Godden. The meet was held in the iconic Cocque Arena, however, the venue is not a friend to backstrokers with its shell-shaped roof. This did not appear to trouble Godden however. In an exciting 50m backstroke final, Godden narrowly missed out on gold when she touched on 29.14 with Jena MacDougald in 3rd on 29.28. The event was won by Swiss, Nina Kost on 29.03.
Godden claimed a second silver medal at 100m backstroke 1:02.02 and was the bronze medallist on the final evening over 200m. Godden led that final into the last turn, but three days hard racing in elite company paid its toll, as she tired on the final length to touch on 2:15.98. Godden also placed third in the ‘B’ final of 200m freestyle 2:03.37.
After narrowly missing out on bronze in the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay, a determined quartet arrived at the start blocks on the final evening for the 4x100m mixed medley relay.
Maria Godden led off on the backstroke leg touching on 1:03.01. She was followed by Eoin Corby who produced a time, faster than his ‘B’ final, 1:02.33. Young Jack Cassin then took on the butterfly leg and produced an outstanding 55.11 to place the team in pole position going into the final leg. Victoria Catterson then took to the pool and was challenged strongly by no less than five male athletes on that final leg.
Catterson very nearly held on, but was overtaken by Alex Cohoon, Loughborough in the final 5 meters. The Loughborough team featured the Swedish duo, Sophie & Louise Hanson and touched for gold on 3:55.10 with the Irish team on 3:55.97. The Canadian team completed the podium on 3:56.23
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