Danielle Hill Sets Irish Records In 100 Back & 50 Fly At McCullagh International

Danielle Hill: Photo Courtesy: Swim Ireland

Danielle Hill Sets Irish Records In 100 Back & 50 Fly At McCullagh International

Danielle Hill set Irish records in the 100 back and 50 fly at a medal-laden McCullagh International in Bangor that showcased her versatility.

The meet acted as Ireland’s final qualification opportunity for this year’s junior summer international meets, including the European Aquatics Junior Swimming and Open Water Championships.

For Ireland’s senior swimmers, the four days presented an opportunity to tune up for the Irish Open Championships and Olympic trials, taking place from 22-26 May.

The 25-year-old Hill opened her meet with victory in the 50m backstroke, touching in 27.75 in the 50m, just six hundredths of a second off her Irish record of 27.69.

Hill returned on day two to go 26.45 in the 50 fly as she cut 0.17secs from Mona McSharry’s 2019 record of 26.62.

She also took the 50 free title that same session in 25.20, just 0.05 off her national record of 25.15.

Danielle Hill: Photo Courtesy: David Kiberd, Swim Ireland

Come the penultimate day of the four-day meet and Hill set a new standard of 1:00.16 in the 100 back to shave 0.02 off her record of 1:00.18, set at the 2021 Irish Olympic Trials where she qualified for Tokyo 2020.

The 24-year-old has her sights firmly on the Irish Olympic trials in May as she vies for a seat on the plane to Paris, where she will need to be the first Irish swimmer to break the one minute mark in the event with the Olympic Qualification Time set at 59.99.

Hill also won the 100 free in 55.44 ahead of Victoria Catterson (55.93) and Grace Davison who set an Irish junior record of 56.13.

Ellen Walshe and Lottie Cullen shared the silver, both stopping the clock at 1:01.90.

The world short-course silver medallist over 400IM, also won the 100 fly in 58.47, just off her Irish record of 57.96, and was second behind record-breaking hill in the 50 in 26.77.

Walshe, who achieved the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) in the 200IM at the 2023 World Championships, won the short medley in 2:12.90 before winning the 4IM on Sunday in 4:41.99.

Niamh Coyne was the only woman inside 1:10 to win the 100m breaststroke in 1:08.29 and doubled up in the 200 where she touched out Olwyn Cooke in 2:29.81 to 2:29.84 following a stroke-for-stroke battle.

Irish record-holder Catterson the won 200m freestyle in 2:01.03 and completed the 200/400 double in 4:17.90.

In the men’s 200m freestyle, Evan Bailey got the touch in 1:50.26, just ahead of National Centre Limerick’s Finn McGeever (1:50.57).

Bailey added the 100 free gold (50.03) to his collection, just .03 off the Irish Junior Record, and also won the 100 fly in 54.23, just 0.01 outside his Irish junior record.

He twice lowered the 50 fly Irish junior record on Sunday, going 24.60 during prelims to beat a six-year record of 24.71 before returning for the final where he went 24.49.

2023 Irish Open Swimming Championships, National Aquatic Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin 2/4//2023 Men 13 & Over 200 LC Meter Backstroke A Final John Shortt of NCL BlueFin Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

National Centre Dublin team-mates Tom Fannon (22.39) and Calum Bain (22.91) were the only men to break 23secs in the men’s 50 free.

In the men’s 200m backstroke, National Centre Limerick’s John Shortt was just one hundredth of a second off his Irish Record claiming gold in 1:58.48. The Irish Record of 1:58.47, was set in the semi-final of the World Championships in Doha in February.

Shortt was the only swimmer to dip under the 26-second mark in the 50 back, stopping the clock on 25.72.

He completed the backstroke treble on the final night with victory over 100m in 55.22, a personal best.

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