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Ellen Walshe brought her record-breaking form into the first night of finals making it four records from four swims, while Nathan Wiffen made his World Championships debut at the World Swimming Championships (SC) in Budapest on Tuesday evening.

Walshe finished an outstanding fifth place in the 200m Individual Medley and was fourteenth overall in the semi-finals of the 50m Butterfly.

In the 200m IM the Templeogue swimmer took an additional one second off the record she had set in this morning’s heats. Starting with 2:08.32 from her bronze medal winning performance at the European Short Course Championships in 2023, the 23-year-old clocked 2:06.50 this morning and 2:05.52 this evening to lower the record by almost three seconds.

USA’s Kate Douglass set a new World Record to win the Final in 2:01.63.

Less than 20 minutes before the Medley Final, Walshe lowered her own 50m Butterfly Irish Record, from 25.65 in this morning’s heats to 25.45, a total of .45 of a second off her 2022 best of 25.90.

There was another World Record in that event with Gretchen Walsh of the USA clocking 23.94, the first woman ever under 24 seconds.

Speaking after the 200m Individual Medley Final Walshe commented, “That’s an absolutely stacked heat, it’s great to be a part of it with the girls and we can only build from there. It’s a massive step forward from last year and I’m delighted it’s another second off this morning’s swim, which I wasn’t sure if we could find, but it was there, so [I’m] absolutely delighted.

“I guess the 50m, I kind of just use it as a warm-up swim as well and I knew I obviously wanted to be down under 26 (seconds) again tonight and that’s where I was, so I said if that’s three records, then let’s make it four. I went into the 200 (IM) a lot more confident than I thought I would this week, because I think of the 50 (Butterfly) out in front.”

Walshe is back in the pool on Thursday in the 100m Individual Medley, an event in which she set a new Irish Record of 59.30 in November.

Morning Session

National Centre Limerick’s John Shortt also got his Championships underway on Tuesday morning with a record-breaking performance. Shortt, who has set Irish records in both the 100m and 200m Backstroke already this season, took over a second off the 100m Backstroke Junior Record of 52.34 he set in October, clocking 51.21. The 17-year-old returns on Sunday for his favoured event, the 200m Backstroke.

Shortt spoke after the race, saying, “It’s nice to get off to a good start, it’s always important to start strong at something like this as you build your momentum as the week goes on, but a good race, it was good to race the guys in that heat, I’m happy out.”

In the women’s 100m Backstroke heats, Danielle Hill was just outside the semi-final placings, swimming her third fastest time ever in the event in 57.95 seconds. The Larne swimmer returns to action on Wednesday in the 100m Freestyle.

Also in action, Max McCusker was close to his personal best of 22.92, clocking 23.09 in the 50m Butterfly heats. McCusker will be back in action on Friday in the 100m Butterfly heats.

Evening Session

Walshe was joined by Nathan Wiffen in the evening session who made his debut appearance for Ireland at a World Championships in the fastest heat of the 1500m Freestyle.

Swimming the fastest heat of the 1500m Freestyle Nathan Wiffen made his World Championships debut with a personal best swim of 14:32.65. Wiffen took over six seconds off his previous best of 14:38.75 to finish sixth in the heat and ninth overall.

Speaking after the race the Loughborough swimmer said, “I’m pretty happy with that, I’ve had a long Summer and then to come back and get a six second PB I’m pretty happy. I think I lost it a bit after the 1,000 (metre) mark, I just felt wrecked to be honest, as I tried to go out quite hard. But pleased with that, a PB, you can’t ask for much more.”

Wiffen returns on Thursday for the 400m Freestyle Heats.

On Wednesday, Danielle Hill returns to the pool for the 100m Freestyle with Shane Ryan competing in the men’s event, while Niamh Coyne and Eoin Corby will both contest the 100m Breaststroke Heats.

Day 1 Heats/Finals Results – Tuesday 10^th December

Day 2 Heats Schedule – Wednesday 11^th December