Irish Summer National Age Group Championships were a huge success for Cork's Lev Lobanets

The Irish Summer National Age Group Championships were held recently at the University of Limerick (UL). 

It is the most anticipated event on the Irish swimming calendar for athletes aged 12 to 14 years. 

This prestigious competition gathers the best young swimmers from across the country and also attracts visiting teams from other nations. 

They get the opportunity to showcase their talent and hard work over the past year. 

The event which is known for its high level of competition and for the exceptional performances it yields, did not disappoint this year.

The first medal won for Cork came in the 14 year girls 100m breaststroke. 

It was a truly exceptional final, on that first evening, with nothing separating the top three throughout the race. 

Virag Szatmari, SWSC won bronze 1:16.64 with victory going to Anna Joyce, Coolmine 1:16.56 and silver to Grace Eyre, Bangor 1:16.60.

That medal winning performance was immediately followed by further success for Cork with Lev Lobanets, Dolphin claiming bronze in 13 year old 400m IM. 

Lobanets had an entry time of 5:42.77 which he lowered to 5:40.44 in the prelims to secure a 5th seed into the evening final.

He delivered an exceptional swim with significant improvements on each of the disciplines to elevate himself to third with an impressive time of 5:29.40.

That performance was the stepping stone on a journey which saw Lobanets emerge as the standout athlete from Cork. 

His exceptional prowess in the pool was evident as he clinched a total of seven national medals: four gold, two silver and that bronze. 

He returned to the start blocks on that first evening to win silver at 200m freestyle 2:14.16.

Lobanets qualified for a further two finals on day 2 and found himself in a close battle in each.

First up was the 200m backstroke. He held off the chasing Anton Nieuwoudt, Limerick to touch first and claim his first gold of the meet 2:29.05 with Nieuwoudt just behind on 2:29.13. 

Later in the session, the sprint 50m freestyle lived up to expectation. The ‘Splash & Dash’ is the shortest and fastest event in the pool. Showcasing his exceptional speed, he reached the wall first 27.44, with Nicholas Rogers, Brompton UK 2nd on 27.87 and Will Browne in 3rd on 28.47.

On day 3 Lobanets qualified for another two finals. He found himself in a head to head with Dara Hayes, Portadown in the final of 100m freestyle. Little had separated the boys in the prelims with Lobanets fastest qualifier to the final. 

He touched first at the mid way point 29.82, but a marginally faster 2nd 50m from Hayes saw him clinch the title 1:00.79 with Lobanets on 1:00.85 for silver. 

His second final of the evening was the 100m backstroke where he produced another gold medal performance with 1:10.28, a 4.88 second PB on his entry time.

After his exceptional performance on day 1 in the 400m IM, Lobanets returned to the podium on the final evening for the 200m IM final. 

He posted a time of 2:33.21 to claim gold. His time was a remarkable 15.57 PB on his entry time. It is worth noting that earlier in that finals session he swam the 400m freestyle final, and finished a very credible 4th with 4:45.89, another 15.86 second PB on his entry time.

His journey to the podium was marked by a series of remarkable performances across multiple events, demonstrating his versatility and dominance in various disciplines, but also his endurance at 400m IM and freestyle. 

His achievements at the championships are a reflection of his dedication, rigorous training and the support he receives from his network of coaches and family.

Garvan Gillard, Blackrock fought gallantly for a podium finish in the boys 14 years 200m butterfly final on the final evening. 

His time 2:27.59, a 3.04 PB, fell agonisingly shy of the bronze medal which went to Keir Donaghy, Mid Ulster with 2:27.30. Gillard placed 2nd in the ‘B’ final at 200m backstroke and 1st in the ‘B’ final at 100, butterfly.

Others to qualify for ‘B’ finals at the championships included: Alannah Mulvihill, William Egan, Rasmus Jakobsen, Eamon Bradley and Sonny Barrett from Blackrock. Roisin Brannigan, Seb Dunne and Cian Vaughan from Dolphin. And Lucia Miao, Fermoy