Cork swimmers have great fun and produce great results at the Munster Swim Festival

The Munster Swim Festival took place in University of Limerick recently. 

It is a vibrant end of season gala specifically designed for the cohort of swimmers who did not qualify for end of year Summer Nationals. 

The event serves as a celebration of their hard work and dedication throughout the season.

The meet is run across two sessions with the younger 10-12 year old athletes in the morning session and the older athletes in the afternoon session. 

One of the highlights of the festival is the team events, where swimmers are grouped into mixed team relays. 

The younger age group swim in a novelty 250m relay. The older group compete in a 50m IM Skins final.

The younger swimmers were restricted to a max of four events and only one distance per stroke.

The ten who emerged with the highest points score over their accumulated four events, qualified for the Super Final. 

The Cork clubs were very prominent across the first session with eight swimmers in podium finishes in the Super Finals.

The Blackrock duo, Una Casey and Alexandra Egar claimed the top two places in the 11 year old Super Final, posting times of 1:24.08 and 1:25.78 respectively. 

The girls earned their place in the Super final with impressive performances in their four events, where they alternated between 1st and 2nd in all four events. 

Casey topped the podium at 50m butterfly 37.28 with Egar on 37.53. Casey also topped the 100m freestyle 1:14.12 with Egar on 1:14.21. 

Egar claimed gold at 100m backstroke 1:24.39 with Casey in 2nd on 1:25.32. Egar’s 2nd victory came at 100m breaststroke 1:39.97 with Casey on 1:40.65.

Maylie Hoffman, also from Blackrock won the Super Final in the 12 year old age group 1:26.79. Martha Walsh, Streamline Cobh, placed third in that Super Final on 1:28.34. 

Hoffman had three victories and one second place finish at 100m freestyle to earn her place in the Super Final. She won the 50m butterfly 37.85 with Walsh in 3rd on 43.26. She touched on 50.99 to win 100m backstroke with Walsh in 2nd on 1:27.74. 

Her third victory came at 50m breaststroke 50.99 ahead of teammate Anna Murray in 2nd on 51.57. Walsh was the victor at 100m freestyle 1:16.81 with Hoffman in 2nd on 1:17.48. Walsh added a second silver medal at 100m breaststroke 1:47.20.

Blackrock had a 4th Super Finalist when Fionn O’Leary qualified for the 12 year old final after securing three 3rd place finishes in his individual events. They came at 50m butterfly 43.60, 100m breaststroke 1:43.25 and 50m freestyle 36.41. 

He placed third overall in the Super Final 1:29.53.

Cork swimmers claimed all three podium places in the Boys 11 year old Super Final. Cillian Turner, Streamline was first home, touching on 1:27.90. Teammate Frederic Tuytten was 3rd on 1:32.76 and Conor Dunne, Mallow placed 2nd with 1:31.47. 

Turner had three victories, but an early start in his 50m breaststroke denied him a 4th victory. Turner topped the 50m butterfly final 37.39 ahead of Tuytten in 2nd on 41.96. The two boys also claimed the top two places at 50m backstroke with Turner on 41.12 and Tuttyen on 42.07. 

Turner had an impressive 11.39 seconds to spare at 100m freestyle when he touched the wall on 1:15.03 ahead of Tom Hennessey, Splashworld Sharks, Tramore. Tuytten had two victories of his own. They came at 100m breaststroke 1:46.03. 

Teammate Thomas Anglim placed 3rd on 1:52.34. He also won the 50m freestyle 36.41 with Anglim again in 3rd on 37.77.

The Blackrock swimmers were particularly strong in the 10 year old age group. Kristian Jakobsen had two victories. 

He won the 100m backstroke 1and 50m butterfly. His teammate Ewan O’Connor placed third 51.97 at 50m butterfly. 

Jackobsen also had two second place finishes. He posted 1:55.35 at 100m breaststroke ahead of teammate Casper O’Leary. 

He also placed 2nd at 100m freestyle. Rebecca Sheehan won 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle. She also had two 2nd place finishes at 50m butterfly and 100m breaststroke.

Sean Casey, Mallow won the 12 year old 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle and placed 2nd at 50m breaststroke behind Gabriel Krysta, Streamline. Emma Kerrisk, Mallow placed 3rd at 50m breaststroke in the 11 year old age group