John Shortt had little time to rest on his first gold medal won at the European Short-Course Championships in Lublin, Poland, with the 18-year-old from Galway back in the pool on Thursday morning in the heats of the 100m backstroke.
Shortt won gold in the 200m backstroke on Wednesday evening, setting a world junior record to boot. This time he simply eased into the semi-finals in 50.84, just outside the Irish junior record of 50.78 he set two weeks ago
“This morning was really just about getting back into it and coming down off that really big high from last night,” he said. “But you know I’ve got a really good group of people around me, just keeping me centred, and to make sure that I remain focused on the fact that we still have another four days of racing.
“This was all just getting in and making sure I’m doing my skills right and then the big effort will come tonight and tomorrow evening.”
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After twice breaking his own Irish 200m backstroke record in qualifying, Shortt went into Wednesday evening’s final seeded number one, before producing another stunning performance to claim gold in 1:47.89. He also became the first Irish swimmer to set a world junior record, which is for swimmers up to age 18 in the year of competition. Shortt turns 19 in February.
Following her eighth-place finish in the 100m breaststroke final on Wednesday night, Ellie McCartney was also back in the pool and cruised into the 200m breaststroke semi-final with a heat win of 2:21.39. She advances in second overall, just behind Great Britain’s Angharad Evans, who won her heat in 2:20.83.
‘‘This morning was the case of getting the job done, winning the heat, trying to put myself in a good lane for the semi-final tonight,” said McCartney. “I’m excited, this is the event I came here for, so hopefully there’s more to come. I think my 100m breaststroke was faster than I expected, so hopefully that translates well into tonight.”
Eoin Corby also secured his first semi-final of the week, also in the 200m breaststroke, just two hundredths of a second outside his Irish record (2:06.45), finishing in 2:06.47.
Ellen Walshe will compete in the 100m individual medley final on Thursday evening, but also impressed in the 100m butterfly, winning her heat in 57.38 to place seventh overall. However she made the decision not to compete in this evening’s semi-final, due to a heavy schedule over the next three days that includes the 200m individual medley, 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley, all events in which she is the top seed following her performances at the World Aquatics World Cup in October.
In the men’s 100m butterfly heats, both Jack Cassin and Matthew Hamilton swam personal bests. Cassin was the quicker of the two in 51.49 with Hamilton posting a time of 52.60.
As well as Shortt, McCartney and Corby in the semi-finals, there are final appearances on Thursday evening for Daniel Wiffen (1,500m freestyle), Walshe (100m IM final) and Evan Bailey (200m freestyle final).
Thursday Irish schedule (all times Irish)
- Women 100m IM final, Ellen Walshe, 6.00pm
- Men 1,500m Freestyle final, Daniel Wiffen, 6.12
- Women 200m Breaststroke semi-final, Ellie McCartney, 6.32
- Men 200m Breaststroke semi-final, Eoin Corby, 6.42
- Men 100m Backstroke semi-final, John Shortt, 7.01
- Men 200m Freestyle final, Evan Bailey, 7.27
- Watch on www.eurovisionsport.com
