News

Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen and Olympic Finalist Ellen Walshe are part of a 12-strong team on the way to Lublin, Poland today, ahead of the European Aquatics Championships (25m) with competition running from December 2^nd to 7^th.

Both Wiffen and Walshe were medallists at the 2023 iteration of the event, with Wiffen claiming 400m, 800m and 1500m Gold, as well as setting a World Record in the 800m Freestyle, while Walshe won 400m Individual Medley Bronze.

Walshe, who recently set six new Irish Records in the 200m Butterfly, 200m Individual Medley and 400m Individual Medley at the World Aquatics World Cup is the top seed in all three events in Lublin. Wiffen, who has been recovering from surgery in September, and making the move to train in California will compete for the first time since the World Championships in Singapore in August.

The opening day of racing will see all twelve team members in action. Walshe is racing the 50m Butterfly with Rosalie Phelan who makes her Ireland debut, Jack Cassin, Evan Bailey and Matthew Hamilton swim the men’s heats. Wiffen will compete in the 400m Freestyle with National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn and Denis O’Brien. U23 European Champion Ellie McCartney as well as Eoin Corby and Adam Bradley swim in the 100m Breaststroke heats, while World Junior Champion John Shortt, who set a new Irish Senior and Junior Record in the 200m Backstroke (1:51.37) this past weekend, will open his championships with the heats of that event.

While Mona McSharry has opted not to travel to this years’ European Short Course Championships, the Olympic bronze medallist will get her long course (50m) season underway at the US Open in Austin, Texas from December 3^rd to 6^th.

Day 1 Race Schedule (Heats) – Tuesday 2^nd December