Magheralin’s Nathan Wiffen claimed fourth place in the 1500m of the men’s freestyle in the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade. He swam a time of 15:10.64 in what was just his second senior international meet.
A stormy day in northern Serbia saw Wiffen and his competitors amongst many forced to alter their preparation for the race originally scheduled Saturday, as it eventually unfolded at 5:10pm on Sunday.
Kuzey Tuncelli of Turkey came out on top, breaking the 15 minute barrier, with Wiffen just under four seconds behind Zalan Sarkany in the medal places, as Ukranian Mykhailo Romanchuk came second in a time of 15:00.99.
Wrapping up the Irish involvement in the Championships was Shane Ryan, who placed eighth in the final of the 50m freestyle.
It was the end of an impressive weekend for the 30-year-old, who broke the Irish record in a long course (50m) pool yesterday with his time of 21.82, after which he said:
“I’m shocked, my goal was to go 21.89. That is my first 50 Freestyle in two years, I’m delighted. I had shoulder surgery about two and a half years ago, so I’m delighted with that time. I honestly don’t know what to say, it’s wild.”
Prior to Ryan and first up for the Irish on Sunday was Cormac Rynn, with his time of 4:01.51 in the 400m freestyle event not sufficient to qualify.
Meanwhile, Wiffen’s twin brother Daniel, one of Irish swimming’s hottest prospects, was in action in the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome, having just completed a heavy training period.
He came third in the 800m freestyle event on Saturday, and seemed satisfied with his display:
‘I’m actually happy with that time, I think I did a good race strategy, to be fair on any other day I might have won, but we don’t know who’s tapered and who’s not here, so I’m pretty happy with the time and happy I got a medal.’
Ellen Walshe went from strength to strength with a sixth placed overall finish in the 200m Individual Medley on Sunday, having claimed gold and broken the Irish record in the 400m version a day previously in the Sette Colli Trophy.
Speaking after Saturday’s record, she said: ‘I’m really surprised with that time. I knew going out in front of the field I was going to put myself in a difficult position to finish it, I think I just used my skills on the back end, my underwaters and I was able to get in front of the field, so yeah I’m delighted with it.’
Max McCusker was also in action in Italy, finishing the B final of the 50m butterfly in 24.39 seconds as he came eighth.
He had been unfortunate to end up in the B final at all, with his heat time seeing him miss out on the A final by a single place.
It capped off a week where he also competed in the European Championships in which he failed to get out of his heat in the 100m butterfly on Wednesday.
In the B final of the 200m backstroke, Victoria Catterson came fifth, after coming 13th in her heat earlier on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Mona McSharry’s time of 2:22.49 in the heats of the 200m Breaststroke, followed by 2:28.68 in the final of the Mel Zajac International saw her qualify for the 200m event in this summer’s Olympic Games.
McSharry, who had already qualified for Paris in the 100m discipline, is ranked seventh in the world, having knocked two seconds off her own Irish record in Vancouver.