Irelands 50m Freestyle Irish Record was twice broken on opposite sides of the world as Belfast swimmer Danielle Hill first and then her Ulster counterpart Mona McSharry took hundredths of a second each from McSharry’s February standard of 25.60.
Hill was swimming in the 50m Freestyle Final at the Commonwealth Games and touched in 25.56 for a record that lasted just 8 hours.
Donegal native McSharry went further winning the Final in Dublin in 25.54.
The Marlins swimmer, then collected her fourth gold of the week at the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown.
‘I was really happy to get that record in February so to be able to maintain it is fantastic. It’s been a good week and I’m looking forward to getting ready for the summer internationals now’. she said.
There was further success for Irish athletes at Commonwealth Games as both Conor Ferguson and Jordan Sloan made it through to semi-finals.
Ferguson, swimming in the 50m Backstroke progressed from his semi-final in fifth place to his second final of the week after a 25.60 second swim, while Jordan Sloan reached the 100m Freestyle semi-final in 49.72 and went on to finish 15th overall in 49.88.
Back in Dublin, Shane Ryan was under European Championships consideration time for the second time this week, in his favoured 100m Backstroke this time.
Ryan was just one tenth of a second off his Irish Record winning gold in a time of 53.93.
Also impressive in that event National Centre Dublin (NCD) was Ennis swimmer Rory McEvoy claimed silver in a best time of 54.66.
Maria Godden secured European Junior Championship and World Youth Olympic Games consideration times in the 100m Backstroke and 200m Freestyle.
The Kilkenny swimmer concentrated on the 100m Backstroke for the finals winning her second Backstroke gold of the week in 1:03.15.
Silver and bronze medallists in the event Rebecca Reid (1:03.98) and Ellen Cassidy (1:04.24) were also under European Juniors consideration time.
16-year-old Victoria Catterson of Ards secured her consideration time for the European Junior Championships in 2:04.13 and took her first Irish Title in the 200m Freestyle.
The National Club Swimming Association’s (NCSA) Claire Tuggle, a rising US star, was first home in the event in 1:59.11 for commemorative gold, she was the only swimmer under the 2-minute mark.
Alfie Kelly of Dolphin Swimming Club in Cork also went under the European Juniors time to win the 1500m Freestyle Final. Kelly clocked 16:01.75 ahead of Daniel Wiffen (16:25.78) and Denis Kilbride (16:45.75).
National Centre Dublin and Trojan swimmer Ben Griffin was the clear winner in the 200m Individual Medley with a best time of 2:03.10.
Aer Lingus set the first relay record of the week when Jordan Byrne, Alex Murphy, Lucy Thornton and Aisling Haughey combined for a time of 4:03.63.
A new Olympic event for 2020, 2018 is the first time the 400m Mixed Medley Relay has been included in the National Championships.
Full Results Day 4 Men 1500 Freestyle Final: 1st A Kelly DOL 16.01.75 / T Derybshire BATH 15.07.07* 2nd D Wiffen LISB 16.25.78 / B Driscoll NCSA 15.39.20* 3rd D Kilbride NRS 16.45.75 / H Curley NCSA 15.45.01* Women 200 Freestyle Final: 1st V Catterson 2.04.13 / C Tuggle NSCA 1.59.11* 2nd R Bethel LISB 2.04.25 / G Coates BATH 2.00.59* 3rd J Knox BANB 2.05.44 / Olivier EEUX 2.01.87* Male 200 IM Final: 1st B Griffin TROJ 2.03.10 2nd G Quinn LONG 2.04.69 / S Conway NCSA 2.04.22* 3rd C Mc Carthy NCL 2.07.78 Female 100 Backstroke Final: 1st M Godden KILK 1.03.15 / I Stadden NSCA 1.00.06* 2nd R Reid ARDS 1.03.15 / P Bacon NCSA 1.00.09* 3rd E Cassidy DOL 1.04.24 / A Kapeller NCSA 1.02.85* Men 100 Backstroke Final: 1st S Ryan NAC 53.96 2nd R Mc Evoy NCDE 54.88 / C Walker-Hebborn BATH 54.23* 3rd S McNicholl TEMP 58.10 Women 50 Freestyle Final: 1st M McSharry MARL 25.54 2nd E Riordan UCD 26.16 / K Stark EEUX 25.65* 3rd K Kavanagh UCD 26.79 / T Bates NCSA 25.77* Men 50 Freestyle Final: 1st R Powell ATH 23.26 / W Davis NCSA 22.85* 2nd D Prendergast NCDKK 23.50 3rd J McMillan BAN 23.60 / D Madej NCSA 23.32* Mixed 4x100 IM Relay Team: 1st ALS 4.03.63 / NCSA A 3.53.20* 2nd DOL 4.14.04 / NCSA B 3.56.03* 3rd SLIGO 4.29.95 / NCSA C 3.57.27*
*Foreign Teams – take Commemorative Medals
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