Latest news with #EuropeanU23Championships
Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘Ecstatic' Ellie McCartney swims lifetime best to make 200m breaststroke final at the World Aquatics Championships
McCartney, competing in her debut long-course World Championships, produced the swim of her career to reach her first global final. The 20-year-old touched in 2:23.79, knocking a quarter of a second off her previous best from the European U23 Championships in June, to place third in her semi-final and advance as the sixth fastest qualifier for Friday's final. The Enniskillen native has now dropped over three seconds from her personal best since the beginning of the year, when she held a time of 2:26.76. Her semi-final performance was also more than a second quicker than her heat swim earlier in the day (2:25.22). "I'm ecstatic,' McCartney said. 'You know, this is what we train for, we train to perform in the heats, make it through the semis and progress through the rounds. And I think that's really been a strength this year that I've been able to progress through each of the rounds. So, to make it to a World Championship final in my first worlds, it's really exciting. "I think here it's just been so unpredictable, you know, you get top two, top three in a semi-final and you're not guaranteed a final, so it's important that you just put your best foot down and whether or not I made the final, I would be able to walk away satisfied just because, you know, I put my best foot forward and PB'd, you know, I know I've left everything in the pool." Looking ahead to Friday's showdown, scheduled for 1.08pm (Irish time), she added: 'Oh, it's going to be such an eye-opening experience. You know, I've never been at this level, never mind in a final at this level. So, I think just, I have to thank my coaching staff for getting me this far and the support they've had and I'm very thankful to have my coach alongside me here, which always does help things." Meanwhile, Ellen Walshe brought her week to a high-profile stage once again, competing in the final of the Women's 200m butterfly. The Templeogue swimmer posted 2:08.34, the second-fastest time of her career, to finish eighth in a field led by Canada's Summer McIntosh, who clocked the second-fastest time ever recorded in the event (2:01.99). 'I think even if I was to go back and think I'd be in that final, I would have been like, absolutely not, but I guess expectations build as you are a competitor, but yeah, it's just a poor performance tonight,' said Walshe, reflecting on the performance. With one major race still to come, Sunday's 400m individual medley, where she reached the final in Paris earlier this year – the 23-year-old is now focused on recovery: 'I think the expectation now is just rest and recovery. I think I've raced six races that I probably didn't think I'd be in, so, yeah, I think the important thing now is just to recover and wait to see what happens on Sunday. It's a big heat ahead, I think going in heat two, and it's quite stacked, so it'd be interesting to see how it goes." Elsewhere on day five, John Shortt was in semi-final action in the 200m backstroke. The 18-year-old posted his third-fastest time ever with a 1:57.30, finishing 15th overall and narrowly missing out on a place in the final. 'Just wasn't as fast as I would have liked it, but you know what? It's been a really long summer already, so to be going my third best time or whatever it is, I really cannot be too angry at myself for that,' said the Galway native. Shortt won't have long to rest, as he's set to return on Friday alongside Evan Bailey, Cormac Rynn and Jack Cassin in the 4x200m freestyle relay as part of a team comprised entirely of swimmers from the National Centre Limerick. 'I'm really proud to be a part of that team, and to be in that environment with them every day is unbelievable and they've all swam so well this week and you know they'll show it again tomorrow. And Cormac, his World Championship debut, I'm super excited because we used to race together in small Connacht galas and stuff like that, so for us to be here, at Worlds together is very, very special,' said Shortt. In addition to the relay, Jack Cassin will compete in the 100m butterfly on Friday, while Olympic semi-finalist Tom Fannon will make his long-awaited debut in Singapore in the 50m freestyle.
Irish Independent
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Ellie McCartney and John Shortt qualify for semi-finals on good day for Irish at World Aquatics Championships
McCartney was in fine form in the 200m breaststroke, finishing third in her heat with a time of 2:25.22 – the fifth fastest of her career and her second quickest ever morning swim. The 20-year-old, who trains at the National Centre Limerick, progressed to the semi-finals ranked eighth overall, building on a breakthrough season that has already seen her post a lifetime best of 2:24.02 at April's Irish trials. Speaking after her race, McCartney said: "'I'm over the moon. I think I take a lot of pride on the journey to get to the World Championships, I've dropped a lot of time in the 200m breaststroke this year, made it my main event over the 200m individual medley. So being able to come here, having two A standard times, it's something I take a bit of pride in and now to progress further to the semi-final, it's just a happy ending to the long summer.' The Enniskillen native, who enjoyed a medal-laden campaign at the European U23 Championships in June, added: "I think there was a lot of success, but there was a lot of room to work on. I know heat swims aren't my strongest, all my PBs come from an evening swim, so my main focus here was to be fast in the heat, so to be able to achieve that this morning and make it back tonight, it's exciting.' McCartney will be joined in tonight's finals session by teammate Ellen Walshe, who lines out in the 200m butterfly final. Also advancing to a semi-final is McCartney's Limerick training partner John Shortt. The 18-year-old produced a composed swim in the 200m Backstroke, stopping the clock in 1:56.98, just shy of his Irish record of 1:56.61, to place 14th overall and seal his place in the next round. "It's such a such a long wait during the week and you're seeing everybody else race around you, and everybody going either a best time or not doing so well. This is such a nerve wracking experience when you're just waiting around to go,' the Galway man said. "It's so good just to get in there and make it back, it's class. It felt really good, the first 100m I was smooth and controlled. I think getting in for the 100 (backstroke) was a big thing because I was able to know exactly what happens. When I don't think in my head, I kind of start racing the people beside me, but in that one, I just swam my own race. I was smooth, I was controlled, it was really good.' Elsewhere, Eoin Corby was narrowly edged out of a semi-final place in the men's 200m breaststroke, finishing just outside the top 16. The Limerick swimmer clocked 2:11.84, securing a top-20 placing. "I'm a bit disappointed,' Corby admitted. "I don't know, I gave it my best shot. I was a small bit off my PB, it's a bit annoying that my PB would have made it back, but yeah, I just need to come back better next year.' In the 100m Freestyle, Larne's Danielle Hill posted a time of 56.59 seconds. Hill, who holds the Irish record in the 50m Freestyle, will return to action in that event on Friday. Meanwhile, Mona McSharry did not contest the 200m breaststroke but is still scheduled to compete in the 50m breaststroke on Saturday. In diving, Jake Passmore finished 27th overall in the Men's 3m springboard preliminaries with a score of 360.60 – just 14 points short of a place in the semi-finals. The Paris Olympian, who has only recently returned to full training following shoulder surgery, showed flashes of his quality, scoring 68.20 points on his opening dive. "Overall, can't complain today,' he said. "Not the best performance but I'm really pleased that despite the difficult year I've had I've managed to stay competitive and put myself in a position that I can be proud of. Getting the opportunity to compete again makes me really excited for what I can do in the next couple of years.'
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Nicola Tuthill claims silver medal at World University Games
Hammer thrower Nicola Tuthill has won a silver medal at the World University Games, just days after Kate O'Connor's gold in the heptathlon. Tuthill delivered an outstanding final throw of 69.98m to confirm her second place finish behind gold medallist Zhao Jie of China who threw 72.80m. The Cork woman stated how she found her rhythm as the rounds progressed, adding another prestigious international medal to her growing collection following her silver medal at the European Under-23 Championships just last week. "I'm delighted, it's my first medal on the world stage," said Tuthill after the final. "And to come off winning silver at the U23 European Championships last week, it's very special. It was somewhat of a stressful competition because some of my first throws were some of the worst I've had all season, and my last five competitions have all been over 70 meters, so I was glad to see it slowly improve in the final, and thank God it did." Tuthill's silver adds to Ireland's proud athletics history at the World University Games, joining a list of medallists that includes athletics greats like Sonia O'Sullivan, Ronnie Delany, and Thomas Barr. The medals secured at the World University Games continue the momentum of a remarkable two weeks for Irish athletics, with 11 international medals returning home across the World University Games, European U23 Championships and European Youth Olympics.
The 42
5 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Ireland's Nicola Tuthill wins silver medal at World University Games
THERE WAS MORE success for Ireland at the World University Games in Germany this weekend as Nicola Tuthill claimed a silver medal in the hammer throw. Following on from Kate O'Connor's gold in the women's heptathlon earlier this week, Tuthill delivered an outstanding final throw of 69.98m to confirm her second place behind gold medallist Zhao Jie of China who threw 72.80m. Advertisement 'I'm delighted — it's my first medal on the world stage', said Tuthill after the final having also won a silver medal in the women's hammer throw at the European U23 Championships. 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐓𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥 - 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫! 🥈 Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) wins a historic silver medal for Ireland in the Hammer Throw at the World University Games in Bochum, Germany, with a best throw of 69.98m ☘️🙌 An outstanding two… — Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) July 27, 2025 'And to come off winning silver at the U23 European Championships last week, it's very special. It was somewhat of a stressful competition because some of my first throws were some of the worst I've had all season, and my last five competitions have all been over 70 meters, so I was glad to see it slowly improve in the final — and thank God it did.'
The 42
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Two more medals for Ireland at European U23 Championships in Norway
IRELAND'S ANIKA THOMPSON and Eimear Maher bagged bronze medals to round out a memorable European U23 Championships in Norway. On the final day of competition in Bergen, 10000m champion Thompson climbed the podium again after finishing third in the 5000m and Maher medalled in the 1500m. Maher clocked 4:09.54 as she delivered a tactical masterclass and ran the race of her life in her first track championship for Ireland. 'I'm lost for words right now, I'm still processing it all,' the 24-year-old said said. Advertisement 'I was vomiting before the heats, I was so nervous, this was my first track champs. . . I worked for this, I wanted this, and I think I tried to enjoy it a lot more today, but it was easier because I had done it before. I'm absolutely delighted.' Turkey's Dilek Kocak won in 4:08.79, while Adele Gay of France took silver. Thompson, who became just the second ever Irish athlete to top the podium at the European U23 championships with 10000m glory on Friday, added to her medal haul in the 5000m. She ran 15:56.80, having hit the front early and led until 800m to go. 'I'm really quite tired, but I'm actually really happy,' said Thompson. 'I love having a race where I can give it my all and that was one of the hardest ones I have run, and I just love to leave it out there on the track. 'It's the joy I have of the sport of running, whether I win or lose, the greatest thing is that I'm healthy and I get to do this, I have a big smile on my face. 'My goal today was of course to get the double gold, but If I go for gold and I might end up with a bronze, so always go for the win and see where you end up after that.' Meanwhile, the men's 4x400m squad of Andrew Egan, Callum Baird, Joe Doody and David Mannion clocked a new national U23 record of 3:06.31 as they finished fifth. The women's 4x400m squad broke the national U23 record, clocking 3:34.81, and the men's 4x100m squad went close to doing similar in 39.83. Major championships debutant Anna Gavigan placed eighth in the discus with a best throw of 51.16m. Athletics Ireland heralded this as the most successful U23 European championship ever with five medals won, along with a 14th-place finish on the medal table. Nicola Tuthill (hammer throw silver) and Nick Griggs (5000m silver) were the other Irish medallists.
