News

McSharry, Cassin and Davison Down Irish Swimming Records

ByEmma Porter |

Three more Irish Records tumbled as the Irish Open Swimming Championships continued at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre. Mona McSharry, Grace Davison, and Jack Cassin, all broke their second Irish records of the meet on Monday in Dublin, while Nathan Wiffen broke his first Championships Record.

McSharry, swimming in the 50m Breaststroke Final, broke her own Irish Record of 30.56 set at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville in January. The Tokyo Olympian had set a new Irish Record in the 100m Breaststroke in 1:06.04 on Sunday. Today’s swim saw the Marlins swimmer clock 30.29 and as with her 100m Breaststroke time, she is now ranked second in the world this year. It was also the 22-year-olds second Championship Record, the previous best in the 50m Breaststroke sitting at 31.34 by McSharry in 2017.

National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin, who broke the 400m Individual Medley Senior and Junior Irish Record on Sunday, set a new junior standard in the 100m Butterfly today. Collecting the bronze medal in 54.29, the 18-year-old took .21 off Brendan Hyland’s decade old record of 54.50.

Grace Davison added the Irish 100m Freestyle Junior Record to the 50m Freestyle Record that she had set on Saturday. The National Centre Ulster swimmer touched fourth in the final in 56.93, breaking Sycerika McMahon’s 2009 record of 57.06. Davison’s 100m Freestyle record had come just 20 minutes after she had won the 400m Individual Medley Final, the 16-year-old touching in 5:08.39 for gold and the National Title.

Nathan Wiffen set a new Championship Record as he cruised to victory in the Men’s 800m Freestyle Final. Wiffen won the gold medal in 8:03.79, a ten second personal best, ahead of Liam Custer (8:21.92) of Sundays Well and Jack Fleming (8:25.03) of Lisburn.

Max McCusker won his third title in as many days, as he flew to gold in the 100m Butterfly. The Dolphin swimmer, already National Champion in the 100m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly, added the 100m Butterfly title in 52.96, ahead of National Centre Dublin’s Shane Ryan in 53.75.

The Women’s 100m Final had the National Aquatic Centre crowd on their feet as Victoria Catterson, Irish Record holder in the event Danielle Hill, Erin Riordan and Davison battled for the National Title. Catterson, of National Centre Ulster, got the touch for gold in 55.70, just one hundredth of a second ahead of Hill (Larne) in 55.71. National Centre Dublin’s Riordan was third in 56.01.

In the 50m Butterfly, Larne’s Danielle Hill added the 50m Butterfly National Title to the 50m Freestyle Title she had won on Saturday. Hill topped the podium in 26.96 with UCD’s Jena Macdougald (27.67) taking silver while Cora Rooney (27.85) of Enniskillen Lakelanders won bronze.

Diarmuid Sutton claimed the 50m Breaststroke National Title, the National Centre Limerick swimmer clocked 29.02 just ahead of Tuam’s Uiseann Cooke (29.10) and Liam O’Connor (29.41) of Terenure.

Competition continues tomorrow through to Wednesday.

Day 3

Women 400m IM Final: 1st Grace Davison National Centre Ulster 5:08.39 2nd Hannah McCabrey Lurgan 5:09.20 3rd Madison Emment Guilford 5.14.35 Commemorative 3rd Hannah O’Connor National Centre Limerick 5:14.52

Men 50m Breaststroke Final: 1st Diarmuid Sutton National Centre Limerick 29.02 2nd Uiseann Cooke Tuam 29.10 3rd Lachlan Reed Bangor 29.40 Commemorative 3rd Liam O’Connor Terenure 29.41

Women 100m Freestyle Final: 1st Victoria Catterson National Centre Ulster 55.70 2nd Danielle Hill Larne 55.71 3rd Erin Riordan National Centre Dublin 56.01

Men 100m Butterfly Final: 1st Max McCusker Dolphin 52.96 2nd Shane Ryan National Centre Dublin 53.75 3rd Jack Cassin National Centre Limerick 54.29

Women 50m Breaststroke Final: 1st Mona McSharry Marlins 30.29 ISR 2nd Niamh Coyne National Centre Dublin 31.71 3rd Olwyn Cooke Limerick 32.89

Men 800m Freestyle Final: 1st Nathan Wiffen Larne 8:03.79 2nd Liam Custer Sunday’s Well 8:21.92 3rd Jack Fleming Lisburn 8:25.03

Women 50m Butterfly Final: 1st Danielle Hill Larne 26.96 2nd Jena Macdougald UCD 27.67 3rd Cora Rooney Enniskillen 27.85.

Share this post
Share this post