Cork Swimming: Success at the McCullagh International

THE McCullagh International took place at Bangor Aurora, Down recently. 

The meet served as Ireland’s final qualification opportunity for the Junior Summer International meets, including European Junior and Open Water Championships. Seven swimmers achieved the consideration criteria on the opening day, which included Tadgh O’Brien, Dolphin.

Tadgh collected the first medal of the championships for the Cork contingent when he posted a European Junior Open Water consideration time 16:46.34 at 1,500m freestyle, behind Trojan’s Ronan Fahey 16:37.56 and ahead of Limerick’s Darragh Horgan 16:51.66. All three were inside the Open Water consideration time.

O’Brien impressed over the four day meet, securing a second Open Water consideration time in the 800m freestyle when he posted 8:53.51 for 7th place overall. He also placed 3rd in the Junior (J) final at 200m backstroke 2:15.49 and 6th in 100m backstroke J final 1:03.54. 

He placed 8th in the ‘B’ final of 200m freestyle 2:04.11, but his time of 2:00.78 in the morning heats, yielded a National Programme consideration time. O’Brien was joined by clubmates Ben Merrigan and Adam Spillane in the ‘J’ final at 200m backstroke, they placed 7th & 9th respectively.

Neddie Irwin placed 4th in the ‘A’ final at 200m backstroke 2:09.62 while clubmate Ricky Fane placed 9th overall 2:16.01. James McIlroy placed 8th in the ‘B’ final 2:24.11.

Three Dolphin swimmers contested the ‘A’ final at 100m backstroke. Charlie Cassidy won bronze with 58.05 while Irwin and Merrigan placed 5th & 7th respectively. Senan Harvey placed 2nd in the ‘J’ final 1:02.07 with SWSC’s David O’Leary in 5th on 1:03.39. Cassidy made it double bronze when he repeated the feat, over the sprint 50m backstroke to post 26.66. Irwin was 10th on 28.35. Merrigan placed 2nd in the ‘B’ final 28.31 with O’Leary in 6th 28.96.

Phelim Hanley, Blackrock was also among the medallists on the opening day when he collected silver at 400m IM 4:44.21 ahead of Kilkenny’s Leonardo Reis 4:52.55. The event was won by Tom Wilkinson, Ballina Dolphins. He placed 5th in the ‘A’ final of 200m butterfly 2:10.46 with clubmate Alex Barrett in 8th on 2:14.18. Another Blackrock swimmer, Garvan Gillard (14) won the Age Group (AG) final touching on 2:30.63. Garvan also placed 8th in the ‘B’ final at 400m IM 5:27.98. It is worth noting that he was competing against athletes four years his senior in that ‘B’ final. He also placed 6th in the AG final at 100m butterfly 1:07.22.

IMPRESSIVE

Another to impress for Dolphin SC was 14-year-old Rene Malley. Rene qualified for six Age Group finals and also the ‘B’ final of 200m freestyle. She placed 2nd in the AG final of 400m IM on the final evening of the competition, posting 5:52.93, almost one second faster than her morning heat swim. 

She placed 7th at 100m breaststroke 1:25.38, 7th at 100m butterfly 1:18.28, 8th at 200m breaststroke 3:04.25, 9th at 200m IM 2:43.80 and 10th at 100m freestyle 1:05.18. She placed 10th in the ‘B’ final of 200m freestyle 2:26.76 where she was competing against athletes eight years her senior.

Isabel Kidney, SWSC, saved the best till last when she claimed gold in the last final of the meet, her favourite 50m breaststroke. After placing 2nd to Olwyn Cooke, Limerick in the morning heats, she flipped the result in the evening final to touch on 32.64 ahead of Cooke on 32.97. She placed 7th in the 100m breaststroke 1:14.10. She also qualified for three Junior finals. 

She was 3rd at 200m IM 2:26.23. Lexi Dunne, Dolphin was 5th with 2:27.45. Kidney was 5th at 50m freestyle 27.67 and 8th at 100m freestyle 1:00.44. Her clubmate Eva Harrington placed 6th in that 100m freestyle, on 1:00.14.

Harrington placed 8th in the ‘A’ final of 50m freestyle on 27.37. She placed 3rd in the ‘J’ final at 100m breaststroke 1:16.06. Dolphin teammates Lexi Dunne and Shauna Murphy placed 9th & 10th respectively.

The Cork ladies were well represented in the 200m backstroke finals. Antonia Sech, SWSC placed 5th 2:21.22 in the ‘A’. Caoilinn O’Connor SWSC placed 3rd in the ‘J’ final 2:27.25 with Shauna Murphy, Dolphin in 5th 2:29.18 and Daisy O’Toole, Mallow in 9th on 2:30.71. Heather Fane, Dolphin won the ‘B’ final 2:28.51 with clubmates Heather Fane and Orna Higgins in 6th & 8th respectively.