Darragh Greene, from Longford, became the first Irish swimmer to qualify for the worlds in South Korea on day one of the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) in Dublin.
The five-day meet is a world championship qualifying event and indeed is the only gala in which Irish swimmers can qualify for the worlds in South Korea in July as Ireland’s elite face into the Olympic cycle and Tokyo 2020.
Greene had already made the consideration time for the 100 metres breaststroke last year, so all the 24-year-old had to do therefore was make the final of the event at the NAC.
Validating
He eased through his morning heat and in the evening’s final won the gold in a quick 59.98 seconds, a fraction outside his own Irish record, and in the process validating his place on the plane for this summer’s world championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Greene was chased home by Castlebar’s Nicholas Quinn, the 2016 Rio Olympian who took the silver medal ahead of Eoin Corby, the 17-year-old Irish junior record holder, who took bronze.
Mona McSharry, the world junior 100 breaststroke champion, isn’t competing at the NAC due to illness; in her absence the World Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Niamh Coyne won the gold in the women’s 100 breaststroke 1.07.94 ahead of Britain’s former Olympic swimmer Hanna Miley and Aishling Haughey of Aer Lingus.
Senior record
Bangor’s Jack McMillan broke the first Irish senior record of the week when he dominated the men’s 400 freestyle in 3.53.31 seconds, cutting 0.8 of a second off Andrew Meegan’s Irish best time set in 2013.
Rachael Bethal, also of Bangor, won the women’s 400 free gold medal in 4.20.51.
Ireland’s top Paralympic swimmers are also competing in the five-day meet at the NAC. Ellen Keane and Nicole Turner, who were amongst the medals at the European Para Championships in Dublin last year, both posted qualification times for this year’s Para World Champs in the 100 breaststroke.
There were further consideration times done for Paralympic swimmers Barry McClements, Seán O’Riordan, Patrick Flanagan and Ailbhe Kelly in the 400 metres freestyle in the morning heats.
RESULTS
Men's 400 Freestyle
1 Jack McMillan (Bangor) 3.53.31 (ISR)
2 Daniel Wiffen (Lisburn)
3 Dean Power (UCD)
Women's 400 Freestyle
1 Rachael Bethal (Bangor) 4.20.51
2 Naomi Trait (Kilkenny)
3 Edel Daly (NCL)
Men's 100 Breaststroke
1 Darragh Greene (NCD) 59.98 secs
2 Nicholas Quinn (Castlebar)
3 Eoin Corby (NCL)
Women's 100 Breaststroke
1 Niamh Coyne (NCD) 1.07.94
2 Hanna Miley (NUAX)
3 Aishling Haughey (Aer Lingus)
Men's 50 Butterfly final
1 Callum Bain (CKSTN) 24.28 secs
2 Brian O'Sullivan (NAC)
3 Max McCusker (Dolphin)
Women's 50 Butterfly final
1 Ellen Walsh (Templeogue) 27.29 secs
2 Jena MacDougald (Otter)
3 Danielle Hill (Larne)
