Wiffen and Hill Set Championship Records to Close Out 2025 Irish Open

Daniel Wiffen and Danielle Hill set new Championship Records as the 2025 Irish Open Swimming Championships ended in Dublin. In all, twelve Championship Records were set as well as three Irish Senior and four Irish Junior Records across the five days of racing.

Daniel Wiffen, already a world leader in 2025 in the 800m Freestyle, posted the second fastest time in the world so far this year in the 1500m Freestyle where he claimed his third gold and national title of the week in 14:42.71.

Wiffen’s time was a new Championship Record, breaking the 2018 record of 15:07.07, and was well under the consideration time of 15:01.89 for the World Championships. Nathan Wiffen was second in 15:15.57 with National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien third in 15:22.18.

Speaking after the race Wiffen said ‘Amazing swim, I’m very happy with it. I would’ve liked my brother to have gone under the 15 minutes, but today wasn’t his day, so I’m sure he will have it in the future. But mine, happy with the time, 14:42 is a world class time and it’s not far off of what won me the bronze medal in the Olympics, so I’m very pleased. It did hurt a lot, but it was worth it. Pretty solid times in all three (events), obviously came away with a gold medal and it was great to have such a lovely crowd cheer me the whole way.’

On swimming in front of sell-out crowds in Dublin he continued ‘It’s kind of special to be honest, like everybody turns up after watching me at the Olympics. Most time the Olympics hype dies out a couple of months after it, but to see children, families turning up, some guy was here on his wedding anniversary, don’t know how his wife let him come. People are turning up to watch swimming and it’s great to see and I’m just happy people love the Olympics so much that they just keep wanting to watch swimming for the next four years.’

Looking ahead Wiffen said ‘Get a lot of training in, that’s the plan. I’ve got a lot of work to do, I’ve got a lot of ideas I want to do, and I’ve also got a big goal to win a couple of gold medals in the summer, so I’m going to work towards those goals and come away with a couple of medals.’

Danielle Hill, who had already achieved consideration for the World Championships earlier in the week, set a new Championship Record in the Final of the 50m Backstroke. The Paris Olympian clocked 22.85 just outside her own Irish Record of 27.64 and inside the Championship record of 28.11 that she set in 2023. Silver went to National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden (29.22) and bronze to UCDs Jena Macdougald (29.24).

Hill was back in the pool soon after to claim her second gold of the day in the 50m Freestyle. The Larne swimmer was home in 25.44 ahead of National Centre Dublin’s Rosalie Phelan (26.06) and UCD’s Jena Macdougald (26.85).

Ellie McCartney, who secured a consideration time for the World Championships and set a Championship Record of 2:24.35 in the semi-final of the 200m Breaststroke on Tuesday night, swam her second fastest time ever, to win her first gold medal of the week in 2:25.01. McCartney has achieved consideration for World Championships, World University Games and European U23 Championships and is now ranked inside the top ten in the world this year in the event.

In second place in the 200m Breaststroke, Shark’s Niamh Connery rounded out a great week with a silver medal and consideration time for the European Junior Championships in a personal best swim of 2:31.39. Portmarnock’s Megan Jones completed the podium in 2:40.15.

National Centre Limerick’s Evan Bailey, already under consideration for the European U23 Championships and World University Games, added 100m Freestyle gold to the 200m Freestyle gold he had won earlier in the week, in a best time of 49.15. Bailey was the only swimmer under fifty seconds with Larne’s Thomas Leggett home in 50.78 for silver and National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn winning bronze in 50.81.

Sundays Well’s Clare Custer closed out an impressive meet with her third gold medal, adding the 800m Freestyle National Title to the 400m and 1500m Freestyle Titles she had won earlier in the week. Custer, who was under the consideration time for the European Junior Championships, was the only swimmer under nine minutes in 8:56.46. Kingdom’s Lily Doyle took silver in 9:11.15 with bronze going to AURA Dundalk’s Rebekah Friel in 9:12.56, under consideration for the European Junior Open Water Championships.

Aer Lingus swimmer Julia Dziedzic has had an impressive breakthrough week in Dublin achieving consideration times in three events for the European Youth Olympic Festival. Tonight, the 15-year-old won her first National Title in the 400m Individual Medley in 5:01.18, adding to times in the 200m Backstroke and 400m Freestyle for the Macedonia event. The silver medal was won by Drogheda’s Georgina Walker in 5:07.05 with National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien completing the podium in 5:09.46.

In the Open 400m Individual Medley Final Banbridge’s Tom Wilkinson topped the podium in 4:37.41. He was followed home by Phelim Hanley (Blackrock) in a European Juniors consideration time of 4:39.77 and New Ross’ Emmet Cousins in 4:43.72.

There was a clean sweep of medals for National Centre Limerick swimmers in the Open 200m Butterfly Final. Jack Cassin was the only Irish swimmer under two minutes in 1:59.18 to add to his 100m Butterfly National Title. In second Brogan McAviney clocked 2:02.89 with bronze going to Ronan Kilcoyne in 2:06.88.

Eoin Corby continued the National Centre Limerick run at medals as he claimed his second gold of the meet, adding 200m Breaststroke to the 100m Breaststroke Title in 2:13.07. Silver went to National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (2:18.17) and bronze to National Centre Dublin’s Liam O’Connor (2:19.30).

The female 200m Freestyle title went to National Centre Dublin’s Victoria Catterson for the fourth year in a row. Catterson won out in 2:00.99 ahead of Ards’ Grace Davison (2:02.84) who was under the consideration time once again for the European Junior Championships and National Centre Limerick’s Danielle Farrell in 2:03.32.

In the Open 50m Backstroke Final National Centre Limerick’s Charlie Cassidy took gold ahead of UCD’s David O’Loughlin (26.46) and NAC’s Fionn Byrne (27.42). Commemorative gold went to Portugal’s Joao Nogueira Costa in 25.31.

Bangor’s Adam Bradley collected the 50m Breaststroke gold medal and national title in 28.55 ahead of Athlone’s Christian O’Brien (28.75) and National Centre Limerick’s Diarmuid Sutton (28.97). In the Female Final, Portmarnock’s Ava Jones topped the podium in 31.78, silver going to Sundays Wells’ Isabel Kidney in 32.22 and bronze to National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne in 32.25.

Dylan Registe of Lisburn City won the open 50m Butterfly in 24.46 with National Centre Ulster’s Charlie Eatwell taking silver in 25.13 and National Centre Limerick’s Eoghan Rynn bronze in 25.39. Commemorative gold was won by Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro in a new Championship Record of 23.09. In the Female Final Ards Emma Coulter won gold in 27.50 followed by UCD’s Jena Macdougald (27.74) and Shark’s Katie Kelly in 28.46. Commemorative gold went to Manchester’s Jessica Calderbank in 26.99.

Speaking at the conclusion of the event, Swim Ireland National Performance Director Jon Rudd commented ‘“Having completed five days of excellent racing, we can reflect back on some outstanding racing here in Dublin that gives us so much more to look forward to this summer. With some fantastic young prospects breaking through into the senior ranks this week to join our established senior contingent, the World Championships in Singapore in July look very well set for Irish swimming. When you see three Irish Senior and four Irish Junior records broken at this competition, it underlines even more that times are very good for Irish swimming and that we have already built on our success from the Paris Games. We have a whole host of athletes to now consider for six National Teams this summer at age group, youth, and senior levels – so there is so much to anticipate for Irish swimming fans out there across June and July. Keep up the great work athletes and coaches – the big stages are ready for you”!

Day 5

O 50m Backstroke Final: 1^st J Nogueira Costa Portugal 25.31 (commemorative) 1^st C Cassidy National Centre Limerick 26.40 2^nd D O’Loughlin UCD 26.46 3^rd F Byrne NAC 27.42

F 50m Backstroke Final: 1^st D Hill Larne 27.85 2^nd R Azevedo Portugal 29.12 (commemorative) 2^nd M Godden National Centre Limerick 29.22 3^rd J Macdougald UCD 29.24

O 1500m Freestyle Final: 1^st D Wiffen Larne/Loughborough 14:42.71 2^nd N Wiffen Larne/Loughborough 15:15.57 3^rd D O’Brien National Centre Limerick 15:22.18

F 400m IM Final: 1^st J Dziedzic Aer Lingus 5:01.18 2^nd G Walker Drogheda 5:07.05 3^rd L O’Brien National Centre Limerick

O 200m Butterfly Final: 1^st J Cassin National Centre Limerick 1:59.18 2^nd V Morgado Portugal 1:59.46 (commemorative) 2^nd B McAviney National Centre Limerick 2:02.89 3^rd R Kilcoyne National Centre Limerick 2:06.88

F 50m Freestyle Final: 1^st D Hill Larne 25.44 2^nd R Phelan National Centre Dublin 26.06 3^rd P Van der Westhuizen Stirling 26.44 (commemorative) 3^rd J Macdougald UCD 26.85

O 200m Breaststroke Final: 1^st E Corby National Centre Limerick 2:13.07 2^nd L Reed National Centre Ulster 2:18.17 3^rd L O’Connor National Centre Dublin 2:19.30

F 200m Breaststroke Final: 1^st E McCartney National Centre Limerick 2:25.01 2^nd Nimah Connery Shark 2:31.39 3^rd M Jones Portmarnock 2:40.15

O 400m IM Final: 1^st T Wilkinson Banbridge 4:34.71 2^nd P Hanley Blackrock 4:39.77 3^rd E Cousins New Ross 4:43.72

F 800m Freestyle Final: 1^st C Custer Sundays Well 8:56.46 2^nd L Doyle Kingdom 9:11.15 3^rd R Friel AURA Dundalk 9:12.56

O 100m Freestyle Final: 1^st E Bailey National Centre Limerick 49.15 2^nd D Lebre Portugal 50.65 (commemorative) 2^nd T Leggett Larne 50.78 3^rd C Rynn National Centre Limerick 50.81

F 200m Freestyle Final: 1^st V Catterson National Centre Dublin 2:00.99 2^nd G Davison Ards 2:02.84 3^rd D Farrell National Centre Limerick 2:03.32

O 50m Breaststroke Final: 1^st A Bradley Bangor 28.55 2^nd C O’Brien Athlone 28.75 3^rd D Sutton National Centre Limerick 28.97

F 50m Breaststroke Final: 1^st A Jones Portmarnock 31.78 2^nd I Kidney Sundays Well 32.22 3^rd N Coyne National Centre Dublin 32.25

O 50m Butterfly Final: 1^st D Ribeiro Portugal 23.09 (commemorative) 1^st D Registe Lisburn City 24.46 2^nd M Nascimento Portugal 23.99 (commemorative) 2^nd C Eatwell National Centre Ulster 25.13 3^rd E Rynn National Centre Limerick 25.39

F 50m Butterfly Final: 1^st J Calderbank Manchester 26.99 (commemorative) 1^st Emma Coulter Ards 27.60 2^nd J Macdougald UCD 27.74 3^rd K Kelly Shark 28.46

– END –

International Swimming Events Summer 2025

2025 World Aquatics Championships in Kallang, Singapore, 27th July – 3rd August

Consideration Process Achieved: Ellen Walshe (100m, 200m Butterfly, 200m, 400m IM), Danielle Hill (100m Backstroke), John Shortt (100m Backstroke), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle), Daniel Wiffen (800m, 1500m Freestyle), Mona McSharry (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Ellie McCartney (200m Breaststroke)

2025 Para Swimming Championships in Kallang, Singapore, 21st – 27th September

Qualification Time Achieved: Róisín NíRiain, Barry McClements, Dearbhaile Brady, Deaten Registe, Síomha Brady

2025 World University Games in Berlin, Germany, 17th – 23rd July

Consideration Time Achieved: Ellie McCartney (100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke, 200m IM), Evan Bailey (100m, 200m Freestyle), Lottie Cullen (100m Backstroke), Eoin Corby (200m Breaststroke)

2025 European Aquatics U23 Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, 26th – 28th June

Consideration Time Achieved: Lottie Cullen (100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke), Ellie McCartney (100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke, 200m IM), Cormac Rynn (200m, 400m Freestyle), Evan Bailey (100, 200m Freestyle), Maria Godden (100m Backstroke), Jack Cassin (200m Freestyle, 100m, 200m Butterfly), Oisin Tebite (50m Freestyle), Eoin Corby (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Brandon Biss (200m Backstroke), Thomas Leggett (100m Freestyle)

2025 European Junior Aquatics Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, 1st – 6th July

Consideration Time Achieved: John Shortt (100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke), Grace Davison (50m, 100m, 200m Freestyle,200m IM), Clare Custer (800m, 1500m Freestyle), Adam Bradley (100m Breaststroke), Matthew Hamilton (50m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly), Niamh Connery (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Thomas Bugler (100m Butterfly), Phelim Hanley (100m Butterfly), Tadhg O’Brien (400m Freestyle), Lucy O’Brien (100m Butterfly), Ava Jones (100m Breaststroke)

2025 European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje, Macedonia, 20th – 26th July

Consideration Time Achieved: Shea Mathers (100m Butterfly), Julia Dziedzic (200m Backstroke, 400m Freestyle, 400m IM), Anna Joyce (100m Breaststroke)

2025 World Aquatics Junior Championships in Otopeni, Romania, 19th – 24th August
Qualification for this event will take place at the European Junior Championships in July.

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