Ellen Walshe highlighted the opening morning of racing at the Singapore Sports Hub, securing a place in the 200m Individual Medley Semi-Final, as the World Aquatics Championships got underway.
Entering Sunday morning’s opening race ranked in eighteenth place, Walshe impressed with fourth in her heat in 2:11.45, the fifth fastest time of her career, and progresses tenth overall into the semi-final at 1pm (IRL). The Templeogue swimmer has a best time and holds the Irish Record in 2:10.92 from the 2023 World Championships.
Daniel Wiffen clocked 3:47.57 to open his World Championships in the 400m Freestyle. The Olympic Champion in the 800m Freestyle returns to the pool for that event on Tuesday morning, where he will be first looking to secure a top eight finish in the heats, to lock in a lane for Wednesday’s Final.
Wiffen in his blog this week revealed he had appendicitis in June and gave an update ‘So I had appendicitis about five weeks ago, obviously I’m hopefully fully covered at this point, I’m not letting it affect me at this World Championships, I’m here to race and race fast.’
Also competing in the 200m Individual Medley, Ellie McCartney made her World Championships (LC) debut in 2:13.86, the second fastest time of her career. McCartney holds a best time of 2:12.50 from the European U23 Championships in June where she won gold in the event. The National Centre Limerick swimmer will be back in action on Thursday in the 200m Breaststroke.
Eoin Corby, also of National Centre Limerick, swam a seasons’ best in the 100m Breaststroke heats, touching in 1:00.63. Corby will return for the 200m Breaststroke, his main event, on Thursday.
Shane Ryan opened his Championships clocking 23.46 in a speedy 50m Butterfly preliminary. Ryan returns to the pool on Friday for the 50m Freestyle.
Ellen Walshe is through to the 200m Individual Medley Final on the opening night of racing at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore after an Irish Record swim.
Walshe, swimming in the first semi-final, took close to half a second off her Irish Record of 2:10.92 from the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, touching third in her semi-final in 2:10.49. The time saw Walshe secure the eighth and final place in Monday’s 200m Individual Medley Final at 1.20pm (IRL).
Speaking after the race the Templeogue swimmer said, “It was a good fight down the last 50 anyway. I knew there was two girls beside me, super competitive, so I just tried to get my hand on the wall. I couldn’t really see across the line, I really want to go under 2:10, but I might have the opportunity to do it again tomorrow.”
After confirmation of her place in the Final, the 23-year-old added “It definitely wasn’t on the cards to get a final swim in it, so I’ll take it and hopefully there’s a little bit more there tomorrow night, so [I’m] happy enough.”
On Monday, four Irish swimmers will take to the blocks for the first time in Singapore. Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry makes her first international appearance since the Paris Games in the 100m Breaststroke. Danielle Hill and John Shortt compete in the 100m Backstroke events, while Evan Bailey makes his World Championships (LC) debut in the 200m Freestyle.
