THE SECOND part of the Munster Aspiring Champions Meet was held at the University of Limerick recently. 

The event had to be split over two weekends, due to the clash, on the calendar, with the Irish Schools & Interpro finals.

Phelim Hanley, Blackrock, was the shining star in the 13-14 age group. He had three victories, achieved at 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle and 200m backstroke. He had over a second PB at 100m freestyle and was the only swimmer sub one minute. He touched on 58.19 ahead of Tadgh O’Brien, Dolphin in second on 1:01.22. He was the comfortable winner over 200m backstroke, posting 2:26.38 for the win ahead of Limerick’s Sean Carrig on 2:39.90 with Dolphin’s Billy Anglim completing the podium with 2:42.13. Hanley had 5 seconds to spare at 100m breaststroke 1:15.40 ahead of the Limerick duo Carrig and Sam O’Callaghan. Anglim placed second at 200m butterfly.

Caoilinn O’Connor, SWSC was very impressive in the 400m freestyle. She had a fast 34-second split on the opening 50m and then settled into an average 39-second split over the next 150m. She upped the pace on the back 200m dropping to an average low 38-second split for the next 150m before turning up the speed again on the final leg, closing it out with a fast 35.49 split to touch on 5:02.42 ahead of Elin Manson, Dolphin in second with 5:13.89. O’Connor had 7 seconds to spare over the shorter 200m distance, to claim victory on 2:20.55 ahead of the Dolphin duo Rene Malley 2:27.40 and Manson in third with 2:28.85. Malley added a second silver at 50m.

Abigeal Logan, Dolphin topped the 200m IM podium with 2:47.73 ahead of Aoife Gardiner, SWSC on 2:48.24. She had an impressive swim at 200m breaststroke to win on 3:07.13 with over 6 seconds to spare on her nearest rival. She had to settle for third at 100m backstroke 1:15.65. The event was won by Margaret Verling, Fermoy on 1:14.05 with Gardiner again in second on 1:14.12.

The outstanding swim of the afternoon came from James McIlroy, Dolphin. On his first attempt at the challenging 400m IM, he led his heat swim from the start and had 50m to spare when he touched on 5:32.53 for second place overall.

CORK DOMINATED

Antonia Sech, SWSC had a strong swim at 100m backstroke to top an all Cork podium. Slightly outside her best time 1:08.38, she still had 5 seconds to spare over Daisy O’Toole, Mallow 1:13.59 with Jenna McArdle, SWSC rounding off the podium with 1:15.16. Sech was the undisputed victor at 400m freestyle 4:50.56, with over 11 seconds to spare on her nearest rival, Molly Dunne, Limerick. O’Toole placed third on 5:02.02. O’Toole got her turn to shine when she claimed the 200m IM on 2:41.36. Shonagh Ferriss, Dolphin was third with 2:50.12. McArdle claimed silver at 200m freestyle.

Alex Barrett, Blackrock was another to claim two victories. He went sub 5 minutes at 400m IM to take the win 4:59.01 ahead of clubmate Pierce Hanley 5:16.57 in second. Barrett’s 2nd victory came at 200m butterfly 2:20.45 with Hanley in third on that occasion, 2:38.03. Hanley added a second bronze at 50m.

Aoife Heavin, Mallow, topped the podium at 1,500m freestyle. Clubmate Evan Buckley, collected two silver medals at 1,500m freestyle and 200m backstroke. While David Duane won the 17& Over 1,500m freestyle. Liadh Boag won bronze at 100m butterfly in the 13-14 age group.

Amy Hawe, Fermoy, won silver at 100m butterfly and bronze at 50m freestyle. Clubmate, Zach Daniels-Howard collected silver at 50m backstroke. Both were competing in the 15-16 age group.

Medallists for Clonakilty included Holly Marx who collected silver at 100m backstroke and Cailim Van Dam was the bronze medallist at 50m backstroke. Both were competing in the 17 & Over age category.

Roseline Tuytten, Streamline Cobh, swimming in the 13-14 age group was the silver medallist at 100m butterfly.

The SWSC duo Ellen Lee and Eva Harrington went head to head in the 17 & Over 200m IM. Lee clinched the victory on 2:36.89 ahead of Harrington on 2:37.17. The girls also featured on the 200m freestyle podium with Lee again in pole on 2:14.80 with Harrington in third on 2:18.21. Harrington got her turn to shine with victory at 100m backstroke 1:13.58.