McCullagh International Gets Underway in Dublin

Swim Ireland’s McCullagh International got underway at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre on Friday with five Irish winners on the opening night of racing, while Ards Mixed Medley Relay set the first Irish Record of the weekend. 

European Champion (SC) John Shortt swam his second fastest time ever in the Open 50m Backstroke Final to take the win in 25.32, his fastest time a 25.06 from the 2025 World Junior Championships where he won a bronze medal. Edinburgh University’s Scott Gibson won silver in 25.70 with Shortt’s National Centre Limerick team-mate Paddy Johnston taking bronze in 25.97. 

In the tightest race of the night UCD’s Jena Macdougald won the Female 50m Backstroke Final in 29.06, just one hundredth of a second ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen in 29.07. DSI’s Petra Halmai took bronze in 29.46. 

Scotland’s most decorated Olympian Duncan Scott dominated the Open 200m Butterfly Final winning in 1:56.82. Scott and National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin were the only two swimmers under the two-minute mark with Cassin claiming the silver in 1:59.44. Chelsea and Westminster’s Edward Marcal Whittles rounded out the podium for bronze in 2:03.83. 

Scott’s University of Stirling team-mate Keanna MacInnes cruised to victory in the Female 200m Butterfly Final. MacInnes posted a time of 2:11.14 for gold ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Alana Burns-Atkin (2:18.81) and Galway’s Muireann Carey (2:28.42). 

Another University of Stirling swimmer, Arvin Chahal, took gold in the Open 100m Freestyle Final in 51.18, he was followed home by Dolphin’s Charlie Cassidy (51.26) and National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn (51.48). 

Irish Record holder (54.80), Grace Davison of Ards, was the only swimmer under 56 seconds in winning the Female 100m Freestyle Final.  Davison touched in 55.27 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Rosalie Phelan (56.22) and University of Stirling’s Lucy Hope (56.52) 

14-year-old Chloe Stewart of Bangor and 16-year-old Julia Dziedzic of Aer Lingus delivered a great battle in the Female 400m Individual Medley Final with only .14 of a second separating the duo. Stewart got the touch in 5:02.38 just ahead of Dziedzic’s 5:02.52. Swim England’s Lexie O’Connor won bronze in 5:04.92 

Nina Mani of Swim Regio Solothurn won the first distance race of the weekend, clocking 18.00.24 in the Female 1500m Freestyle. Kilkenny’s Abby Cunningham was the fastest Irish swimmer, taking silver in 18:03.36 with Templeogue’s Ava Rock just behind for bronze in 18:05.36. 

In the Open 800m Freestyle Final, British Olympic Champion (4x200m Freestyle Relay) Jack McMillan touched home in 8:11.30 ahead of Swim Regio Solothurn’s Tobias Birrer in 8:30.31. National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien won bronze in 8:34.62. 

Italian national, Federico Poggio, who trains at National Centre Dublin, won the Open 100m Breaststroke Final in 1:01.01. National Centre Limerick’s Eoin Corby won silver in 1:01.97 with bronze going to University of Stirling’s Rory Dickson in 1:02.74. 

European U23 Champion Ellie McCartney closed the opening night of action with a win in the Female 100m Breaststroke Final. McCartney of National Centre Limerick held off Edinburgh University’s Kara Hanlon to win in 1:07.54, Hanlon was home in 1:07.95. University of Limerick’s Eimear Doyle won bronze in 1:10.36. 

The McCullagh International serves as the national relay championships and national honours were up for grabs in three events on day one. 

Ards’ quartet of Grace Davison, Ellie McCartney, Paddy Johnston, and Daniel Harvey set a blistering new Irish Club Record of 3:58.47 to win gold in the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay and became the first Irish club to break the four-minute mark in the event. Ards were followed home by UCD (4:01.50) and Swim England (4:17.00) who won commemorative silver and bronze, while national silver medals went to Shark SC (4:20.71) and bronze to Longford SC (4:21.85). 

A UCD team of Jena Macdougald, Nessa Godden, Amy Noble and Naomi Trait topped the podium in the Female 4x200m Freestyle Relay in 8:40.13, while the national silver went to Limerick (8:56.49) and bronze to Cork club Dolphin (9:21.31).   

Limerick returned to the podium this time in the Open 4x200m Freestyle Relay as Denis O’Brien, Daragh Horgan, Anton Nieuwoudt, and Dylan McGrath went a combined 7:54.58 to claim the national title. Dolphin came home in second (7:57.60) with bronze going to Glenalbyn SC (8:23.94).   

Competition continues Saturday. Press releases will be issued daily.  

Full Results – Day 1 (20th Feb)  

Female 4x200m Freestyle Relay  1st UCD SC 8:40.13 2nd Limerick SC 8:56.49 3rd Dolphin SC 9:21.31 

Male & Open 4x200m Freestyle Relay  1st Limerick SC 7:54.58 2nd Dolphin SC 7:57.60 3rd Glenalbyn SC 8:23.94 

Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay  1st Ards SC 3:58.47 ISR 2nd Shark SC 4:20.71 3rd Longford SC 4:21.85 

Female 1500m Freestyle  1st Nina Mani (Swim Regio Solothurn) 18:00.24 2nd Abby Cunningham (Kilkenny) 18:03.36 3rd Ava Rock (Templeogue) 18:05.36 

Male & Open 800m Freestyle 1st Jack McMillan (University of Stirling) 8:11.30 2nd Tobias Birrer (Swim Regio Solothurn) 8:30.31 3rd Denis O’Brien (National Centre Limerick) 8:34.62 

Female 400m IM  1st Chloe Stewart (Bangor) 5:02.38 2nd Julia Dziedzic (Aer Lingus) 5:02.52 3rd Lexie O’Connor (Swim England) 5:04.92 

Male & Open 50m Backstroke  1st John Shortt (National Centre Limerick) 25.32 2nd Scott Gibson (Edinburgh University) 25.70 3rd Paddy Johnston (National Centre Limerick) 25.97 

Female 50m Backstroke  1st Jena Macdougald (UCD) 29.06 2nd Lottie Cullen (National Centre Ulster) 29.07 3rd Petra Halmai (DSI) 29.46 

Male & Open 100m Freestyle  1st Arvin Chahal (University of Stirling) 51.18 2nd Charlie Cassidy (Dolphin) 51.26 3rd Cormac Rynn (National Centre Limerick) 51.48 

Female 100m Freestyle 1st Grace Davison (Ards) 55.27 2nd Rosalie Phelan (National Centre Ulster) 56.22 3rd Lucy Hope (University of Stirling) 56.52 

Male & Open 200m Butterfly  1st Duncan Scott (University of Stirling) 1:56.82 2nd Jack Cassin (National Centre Limerick) 1:59.44 3rd Edward Marcal Whittles (Chelsea & Westminster) 2:03.83 

Female 200m Butterfly  1st Keanna MacInnes (University of Stirling) 2:11.14 2nd Alana Burns-Atkin (National Centre Ulster) 2:18.81 3rd Muireann Carey (Galway) 2:28.42 

Male & Open 100m Breaststroke  1st Federico Poggio (National Centre Dublin) 1:01.01 2nd Eoin Corby (National Centre Limerick) 1:01.97 3rd Rory Dickson (University of Stirling) 1:02.74 

Female 100m Breaststroke  1st Ellie McCartney (National Centre Limerick) 1:07.54 2nd Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh University) 1:07.95 3rd Eimear Doyle (UL) 1:10.36 

Live Results: http://live-timings.swimireland.ie/ or Meet Mobile App ‘McCullagh International Meet’  

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