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Danielle Hill starred on the opening evening of the Irish Open Swimming Championships with an Olympic Qualification Time (OQT), Irish and Championship Record of 59.11 in the 100m Backstroke. The Larne swimmer also became the first Irishwoman under the one-minute mark in the event.
Hill now joins Daniel Wiffen, Ellen Walshe and Mona McSharry who have already achieved the OQT for Paris.
With a target of 59.99, the 24-year-old was comfortably under to qualify for her second Olympic Games, the time also puts her in prime position for a place on the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay.
Speaking after the race Hill said “We all know what happened last time (Tokyo), I was so narrowly close, I think this time, I had that 59.99, the first Irish woman to go sub 1 minute, and I just wanted to cement it, I didn’t want any questions asked, I just went for it and thankfully dipped under.”
On qualifying for her second Olympic Games Hill said “It’s pretty special I have to say, it’s probably a little bit more special than the first, because I know where I’ve been the past 2 or 3 years, I know where I was nine months ago, ready to walk away from the sport. This to me is a relief, but I’m ready to go again now.”
Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Swimming Championships and Olympic Trials got underway at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre this morning with some outstanding swims highlighting the first morning of action, including five swimmers achieving European Championships Consideration Times.
Double World Champion Daniel Wiffen, already qualified for the Paris Olympic Games, was once again under the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) in the 800m Freestyle heat in 7:51.47.
Wiffen set a new Championship Record in the event, just ten minutes after his twin brother Nathan had broken his own 2023 Championship Record of 8:03.79 in a personal best swim of 7:56.40. The Loughborough swimmers will go again in tomorrow’s 800m Freestyle Final with Nathan targeting the OQT of 7:51.65.
Conor Ferguson showed his great form with a personal best swim in the 100m Backstroke. Ferguson’s time of 53.87 knocked a further three hundredths of a second off his best of 53.90 from the semi-final of the event at the World Championships in Doha. The 24-year-old is now just .13 of a second away from the OQT of 53.74 and he will have a second opportunity at it tonight.
Danielle Hill topped the women’s 100m Backstroke Heats with a time of 1:00.37. The Larne swimmer, who set an Irish Record of 1:00.16 in April, will target the OQT of 59.99 in tonight’s Final.
Evan Bailey set the first Irish Record of the week, with a new junior standard in the 200m Freestyle. The New Ross swimmer touched in 1:48.49, taking over a second off the 2018 standard of 1:49.57.
In the 200m Individual Medley, Ellen Walshe, who secured the OQT at the 2023 World Championships, swam a speedy 2:11.95 to earn the top seed for this evening’s Final.
Daniel and Nathan Wiffen, Ferguson, Hill, Bailey and Walshe were all under the consideration time for the European Championships in their respective events.
Also today, Grace Hodgins (Sarasota Sharks), leads the rankings in the 1500m Freestyle in 17:07.38 while Banbridge’s Alana Burns-Atkin will be the top seed for this evening’s 200m Butterfly Final in 2:21.87.
In the Men’s 100m Backstroke, Conor Ferguson was once again just outside the OQT of 53.74 clocking 54.12. The Loughborough swimmer touched in 53.87 in this morning’s heats and will have another opportunity to lower that time in tomorrow’s Final.
National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney was the fastest qualifier from this afternoon’s 200m Individual Medley for tomorrow’s Final. The 19-year-old clocked 2:14.92 to go under the consideration time for the European Championships next month.
Following McCartney, in the Men’s 200m Freestyle, Evan Bailey, Cormac Rynn and Jack Cassin were all under the European Championships Consideration Time. Bailey, who set a new Irish Junior Record of 1:48.49 earlier today touched in 1:48.73, the New Ross man now the fastest qualifier for tomorrow’s Final. Rynn, who swims for National Centre Limerick and Trident qualified in 1:50.26, making it his first qualification for an international team, while Jack Cassin, also of National Centre Limerick, touched in 1:50.22.
The last event of the first day saw Banbridge’s Alana Burns-Atkin progress to tomorrow’s Final as top seed in 2:17.77.
On Thursday, Tokyo Olympian Darragh Greene takes to the blocks for the 100m Breaststroke Heats. The Women’s 100m Freestyle will see a number of athletes look to claim a place on the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay for Paris. Tom Fannon will look to replicate his Irish Record of 21.95 to secure qualification for the Games in the 50m Freestyle. Irish Record holder Max McCusker takes to the pool in the 100m Butterfly while Niamh Coyne is the fastest entry in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke.
Olympic Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m, 800m, 1500m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m IM), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke), Danielle Hill (100m Backstroke)
Women 4x100m Medley Relay, Men 4x100m Medley Relay*
* Two Olympic Qualification Times (OQT) are required from the team in order to confirm the Olympic place when invited
Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m, 800m, 1500m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m, 400m IM, 100m Butterfly), Mona McSharry (50m, 100m, 200m Breaststroke), Evan Bailey (200m Freestyle), Conor Ferguson (100m Backstroke), Danielle Hill (100m Backstroke), Nathan Wiffen (800m Freestyle), Ellie McCartney (200m IM), Cormac Rynn (200m Freestyle), Jack Cassin (200m Freestyle).
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