Cryan, Wiffen and Ireland Relay Secure European Final Places; Shortt, Ryan and Coyne Progress to Semi-Finals

The 2024 European Aquatics Championships continued this morning with yet another strong showing from Irish swimmers and divers in soaring temperatures with six from a possible eight progressing through the rounds on the second day of competition.

At the Serbian Institute of Sport, Clare Cryan was the first diver in action for Ireland on the 1m Springboard. Cryan scored a total of 205.85 points from five rounds to finish eleventh and qualify for the final: her highest score coming from her first dive an inward 1 and ½ somersaults for 46.80 points.

Speaking after the preliminary round Cryan said ‘I had good fun in the prelim this morning although it was certainly a bit of a nervous performance. I’ll come back this afternoon looking to sharpen up my dives and improve on my score.’

The women’s 1M Springboard Final will take place Tuesday at 3:55pm (IRL).

Back at the Sports Centre Milan Gale Muskatirovic Nathan Wiffen was on the blocks for the Men’s 800 Freestyle Heat, in what was his first international appearance in a 50-metre pool. Wiffen came home second in his heat and ranked sixth overall in 7:54.60, a new personal best for the Loughborough swimmer, knocking nine hundredths of a second off his 7:54.69 from the Irish Open in May.

Following the swim, Wiffen said “I’m feeling very good, not going to lie it was tough with the heat coming out because the last call room is outside so everyone is trying to find the shade. I’m pretty happy with that, I got a personal best and into the final.”

He added: “The first aim is to make the final, and as they say if you’ve got a lane, you’ve got a chance, so hopefully a medal.”

Wiffen will return for the 800 Freestyle Final on Wednesday at 7:07pm (IRL).

For a second consecutive day an Irish relay team did enough to make it back for finals, this time it was the Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay including Lottie Cullen (Backstroke), Eoin Corby (Breaststroke), Jack Cassin (Butterfly) and Ellie McCartney (Freestyle) who combined for a time of 3:56.11, finishing in eighth overall securing a lane for the final.

Speaking following the race, McCartney said: “It’s good, we’ve a good team to get through the heats and through to the final, so it’s a good moment. The freestyle isn’t my strongest, so I’m glad to step up for the team”.

Lottie Cullen added: “It was really exciting walking out with the team, we just wanted to have a lot of fun with it, happy to get through to tonight.”

John Shortt stepped onto the senior European long course stage for the first time this week, featuring in the Men’s 200m Backstroke Heat. Shortt, who currently holds the Irish Senior and Junior Records in this event (1:57.90) moved through the heat comfortably, finishing third and ensuring he made it back for tonight’s semi-final in eighth overall in a time of 1:59.15.

The Galway native said: “It was good, just trying to get a good swim into me this morning, the plan was to not go too hard or burst a gut in the heats. I want to be faster tonight and hopefully that will be enough to make it back tomorrow night.”

Shane Ryan and Oisin Tebite opened proceedings for Ireland this morning, featuring in the Men’s 100m Freestyle. Ryan was second in his heat in 48.69, just behind former World Record holder in the event David Popovici (47.90) of Romania, qualifying for tonight’s semi-final in eighth place. Ryan’s National Centre (Dublin) teammate Tebite clocked 52.22. Tebite will return to the pool on Saturday for the 50m Freestyle.

Speaking following his morning swim Ryan said: “It was great racing, I didn’t expect too much but I focused on the process and do what I do best, it was good. I want to try make it into the next final, clean it up a bit more, it was a bit sloppy on the back 50 so it’s just trying to be more connected in the way home instead of throwing it.”

As temperatures reached 31 degrees, Irish duo Niamh Coyne and Ellie McCartney took to the blocks for the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Heats. Coyne stopped the clock on 1:09.06 to advance through to the semi-final later today in 12^th. McCartney was home 19^th overall with a time of 1:09.53.

Darragh Greene will get the action started at 5:48pm this evening action as he competes in the 100m Breaststroke Final.

Day 1 | Morning Results:

Men 100 Freestyle: Shane Ryan – 48.69 (8^th) Q, Oisin Tebite – 52.22 (76^th)

Women 100 Breaststroke: Niamh Coyne – 1:09.06 (12^th) Q, Ellie McCartney – 1:09.53 (19^th)

Men 200 Backstroke: John Shortt – 1:59.15 (8^th) Q

Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: Lottie Cullen (1:03.72), Eoin Corby (1:00.68), Jack Cassin (54.26), Ellie McCartney (57.45) – 3:56.11 (8^th), Q

Men 800 Freestyle: Nathan Wiffen – 7:54.60 (6^th), Q

Diving

1m Springboard Final: Clare Cryan – 205.85 (11^th), Q

Day 2 | Evening Schedule (17:30):

Men 100 Breaststroke Final                                Darragh Greene                           5:48pm (IRL)

Women 100 Breaststroke Semi-Final             Niamh Coyne                               5.58pm (IRL)

Men 100 Freestyle Semi-Final                           Shane Ryan                                   6.03pm (IRL)

Men 200 Backstroke Semi-Final                        John Shortt                                    6.19pm (IRL)

Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay                                   Ireland                                            7.10pm (IRL)

Women’s 1m Springboard Final                        Clare Cryan                                   3:55pm (IRL)

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