It was a good evening for Irish swimmers at the inaugural LEN European U23 Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin as Daniel Wiffen, Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe winning gold medals.
Wiffen, who was fourth in the 800m and 1500m freestyle at the recent World Championships in Japan, lead the way home in the latter event here.
Not to be outdone Mona McSharry took gold in the final of the 50m breaststroke on 30.37 seconds while Templeogue’s Ellen Walshe was a double medalist for the home nation, winning silver in the 100m Butterfly and returning to the water to win the 200m individual medley European title.
Wiffen produced a brilliant swim to win in 14.35.79, just outside his own Irish record, which is a world class time anyway, just three seconds off the world record. Germany's Sven Schwartz and the Italian Luca Du Tullio won silver and bronze.
McSharry was second fastest qualifier in the 50m breaststroke as her time of 30.66 seconds, left her just behind 19-year-old Anita Bottazoo who was fifth in the recent world championships.
In the final, the Italian had to be content with silver as she finished .22 of a second behind the Sligo competitor, with Katlyn Dobler of the USA in third place.
"I have to be happy with that after a tough world championship in Japan last week and I’m really happy with that time as well" said McSharry after the race win.
"I will have further medal chances in the 100 and 200 breastroke events over the weekend, but it’s going to be tough and I know the Italian well now and she is tough to beat."
Walshe was second fastest qualifier into the final of the women’s 100 butterfly in 58.86 three quarter of a second off her own Irish record.
Fifth at the halfway split in the final, Walshe powered down the last 50 to take silver in a time of 58.70 seconds to finish second to Britain’s Keanna Macinnes (58.48).
In the final of the women’s 200 metres individual medley, Walshe was fastest of the European swimmers. She led until the last 50 but was overtaken by the American Justina Kozan to win the race, but not the gold as Walshe (2:13.12) did enough to take the U23 title, with Kozan not eligible for a medal as a guest competitor.
"I'm a little disappointed I didn’t hold off the American to be honest, but to take the European Title is a great honour especially after the tough world championships last month," Walshe said afterwards.
