Cork Swimming: Sean Bugler keeps Conor King Cup in Sunday's Well

A VERY special commemorative award has been a feature of recent Michael Bowles Invitational galas. 

The award recognie the late Conor King, a much-loved member of Sunday's Well Swimming Club. 

Conor was a butterfly specialist and the cup is awarded to the winner of the men’s 50m butterfly final. This year, little separated the top three in the preliminary heats and although all three were marginally slower in the evening final, only 0.07 seconds separated all three, with no positional change from the heats. Sean Bugler ensured the cup remained in SWSC when he stopped the clock on 27.25. Liam O’Driscoll was 2nd on 27.30 and Caleb O’Sullivan, Dolphin 3rd on 27.32.

Bugler was a major contributor to SWSC team points. He had two very impressive swims in the distance freestyle. He stopped the clock on 8:38.98 over 800m, with clear water separating him from his nearest rival, Vincent Leahy, Dolphin in 2nd on 9:45.42. Leahy’s teammate, John Coleman completed the podium on 9:46.47. Bugler was also the undisputed winner over 1,500m posting a time of 16:45.09. He had to be content with 2nd place over the 400m & 200m freestyle posting times of 4:12.39 & 1:59.86 respectively. He also collected bronze at 50m backstroke.

His younger brother Thomas was another major contributor to team points.

He too was impressive at 800m freestyle in the 13-14 age group, with victory in 9:18.48. He had opened his campaign, earlier that day with victory in the 400m IM 5:15.81, ahead of team mate, Liam O’Driscoll 5:17.41 and Blackrock’s Garvan Gillard in 3rd on 5:42.26. 

The SWSC teammates also claimed the top two places at 200m & 100m freestyle, 2:07.20 & 2:12.01 at 200m and 57.75 & 1:00.57 over 100m. They were joined on the 100m podium by Billy Anglim, Dolphin 1:02.90. Bugler had to be content with silver at 100m & 200m butterfly. Both fly events were won by Blackrock’s Phelim Hanley, with Anglim third in both.

O’Driscoll had his opportunity to shine with double backstroke gold. He posted 1:06.93 at 100m with Anglim on 1:13.54 and Culann Harrington, SWSC completing the podium on 1:14.55. His time of 2:25.74 yielded victory at 200m with James McIlroy, Dolphin in 2nd on 2:27.20 and Anglim in 3rd on 2:36.50.

Caoilinn O’Connor, SWSC and Lexi Dunne, Dolphin alternated with each other for podium places, each contributing similar points to their respective teams. Dunne topped the 200m freestyle podium on 2:13.66 with O’Connor 2nd on 2:20.51. Dunne also topped the 100m freestyle on 1:01.26 with O’Connor 3rd on 1:02.52. O’Connor was the comfortable victor at 200m IM 5:37.49 ahead of Dolphin duo Elin Manson 5:41.47 and Aoibhe Moroney 5:42.68. 

Dunne placed 2nd over 100m IM 1:10.43. The girls’ other points came in backstroke for O’Connor and breaststroke for Dunne. O’Connor held on for victory over 100m back touching on 1:09.65 marginally ahead of teammate Aoife Gardiner on 1:09.81 with Orna Higgins, Dolphin in 3rd 1:12.42. 

She had four seconds to spare over 200m back, 2:31.71, Gardiner 2nd on 2:35.96 and Elin Manson in 3rd on 2:38.67. In addition, O’Connor collected bronze at 400m freestyle 4:56.11. That event was won by Aoibhe Moroney 4:51.68. Dunne topped the 100m breaststroke podium 1:17.10 but had to settle for 2nd in the Open 50m final.

MAJOR

Major point scorers for Dolphin included Laura Garcia Villa. 

She topped an all-Dolphin podium in the 10-12 age group over 100m backstroke. She was joined on the podium by Philippa Costello & Jess Merrigan. She also won the 100m butterfly. She placed 2nd at 200m freestyle with Ruby Morrison, SWSC in 2nd place. She added a second silver at 100m IM and bronze at 200m IM. Aidan McGrath contributed 5 silver and 1 bronze to team points. His second place finishes came at 100m, 200m & 400m IM and at 100m & 200m breaststroke. His bronze came at 100m butterfly.

Points scorers for Blackrock included Rasmus Jakobsen, Garvan Gillard, Ruairi O’Sullivan, Aine Burke, Sonny Barrett, Lev Lobanets, William Egar, Phelim Hanley, Gearoid Mahon and Viktoria Sarkany. The club placed thid overall in the team rankings.

Conor Holland and Euan O’Grady featured among the medallists for Fermoy and Anna Van Wijnan won bronze for Streamline, Cobh.