Walshe Leads Irish Gold Rush at McCullagh International; Ní Riain Sets European Para Record
Swim Ireland’s McCullagh International Meet continued today at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre, with five Irish swimmers winning gold, including two from Ellen Walshe.
European Champion (SC) Ellen Walshe announced her arrival this weekend in typical fashion with two golden performances. The Templeogue swimmer picked up her first gold of the night in the Female 200m Freestyle following an entertaining battle with Grace Davison of Ards. Walshe pipped Davison to gold in a time of 1:59.32; Davison touched the wall in 2:00.65. Bronze went to Lucy Hope (University of Stirling) in 2:01.74.
The double Olympian was back in the water moments later to compete in the Female 100m Backstroke. Walshe had another battle on her hands, this time with National Centre (Ulster) swimmer Lottie Cullen. The two swimmers went stroke for stroke, with Walshe pulling away to pick up her second gold of the evening in 1:01.28. Cullen claimed silver in 1:02.05, while Jena Macdougald of UCD finished third in 1:03.56.
It wasn’t long before another Irish European Champion topped the podium, this time in the Male & Open 100m Backstroke. John Shortt (National Centre Limerick) charged home in 54.36 to bag his second gold of the weekend. Dean Fearn (University of Stirling) clocked 56.05 to claim silver, closely followed by Dolphin’s Charlie Cassidy in 56.75.
National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney claimed her second gold of the weekend, clocking 2:26.53 to win the Female 200m Breaststroke in dominant fashion. McCartney’s closest competitor was Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh), who posted 2:29.78, with bronze going to Maisie Brown (2:35.42) of Swim England.
Another National Centre (Limerick) swimmer topped the podium in the next event, as Eoin Corby charged home in 2:16.29 to win the Male & Open 200m Breaststroke gold medal. Rory Dickson (University of Stirling) went 2:18.70 to claim second place, followed by National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed in 2:21.27 for third.
In the Female 50m Butterfly, Ireland international Rosalie Phelan (National Centre Ulster) came through one length of the pool in 27.25. There was a joint silver medal between Jóhann Gudmundsdóttir (Iceland) and Isabel Kidney (National Centre Limerick), with both swimmers stopping the clock in 27.67.
Also competing in the event was Para swimming sensation Róisín Ní Riain (National Centre Limerick), who last night set a new European Para record (subject to ratification) in the S13 50m Backstroke. The double Paralympic medallist clocked 30.71 to set a new European standard, breaking the previous mark of 30.72 held by Anna Krivshina (Russia) since 2016.
Competitors in the Male & Open 1500m Freestyle were first to the blocks on the second night of finals. Tobias Birrer of Swim Regio Solothurn upgraded last night’s silver with a gold-medal performance, coming home first in 16:19.63. Swim England duo Benjamin Ross (16:27.50) and Dante Sinnott (16:29.07) finished second and third respectively.
Icelandic swimmer Lilja Katja Andriysdóttir clocked 9:14.91 to win the Female 800m Freestyle gold. Swim Belfast’s Eve Leleux took silver in 9:20.23, while Abby Cunningham of Kilkenny claimed her second medal of the weekend, finishing in 9:23.86 for bronze.
Edward Marcal Whittles (Chelsea and Westminster) came home in 4:25.30 to win gold in the Male & Open 400m IM. Icelandic swimmer Hólmar Grétarsson stopped the clock in 4:33.83 for silver, while Baltazar Allende of Templeogue ensured the bronze medal would stay in Dublin with a 4:38.69 finish.
University of Stirling teammates Duncan Scott and Jack McMillan battled it out for gold in the Male & Open 200m Freestyle. McMillan pipped Scott (1:47.26) to the title in 1:46.77, while National Centre Limerick swimmer Jack Cassin claimed bronze in 1:51.45.
There was a University of Stirling one-two in the Male & Open 50m Butterfly as Benji Jeffreys touched first in 24.14. His teammate Dean Fearn shared silver with Dylan Registe, both swimmers stopping the clock in 24.23.
Earlier today, a Dolphin team of Noah Switzer, David O’Leary, Senan Harvey and Charlie Cassidy combined for 3:34.92 to win the Male & Open 4x100m Freestyle Relay national gold. UCD clocked 3:36.74 for silver, with bronze going to Trojan in 3:39.03.
UCD’s Jena Macdougald, Rekka Fabian, Amy Noble and Naomi Trait topped the podium in the Female & Open 4x100m Freestyle Relay, winning the national title in 3:57.20. Dolphin finished second in 4:05.32, with bronze going to Limerick in 4:07.07.
Full Results – Day 2 (21st February)
Male & Open 4x100m Freestyle Relay 1st Dolphin 3:34.92 2nd UCD 3:36.74 3rd Trojan 3:39.02
Female & Open 4x100m Freestyle Relay 1st UCD 3:57.20 2nd Dolphin 4:05.32 3rd Limerick
Male & Open 1500m Freestyle 1st Tobias Birrer (Swim Regio Solothurn) 16:19.63 2nd Benjamin Ross (Swim England) 16:27.50 3rd Dante Sinnott (Swim England) 16:29.07
Female 800m Freestyle 1st Lilja Katja Andriysdóttir (Iceland) 9:14.91 2nd Eve Leleux (Swim Belfast) 9:20.23 3rd Abby Cunningham (Kilkenny) 9:23.86
Male & Open 400m IM 1st Edward Marcal Whittles (Chelsea and Westminster) 4:25.30 2nd Hólmar Grétarsson (Iceland) 4:33.83 3rd Baltazar Allende (Templeogue) 4:38.69
Female 50m Butterfly 1st Rosalie Phelan (National Center Ulster) 27.25 2nd Jóhann Gudmundsdóttir (Iceland) 27.67 2nd Isabel Kidney (National Centre Limerick) 27.67
Male & Open 50m Butterfly 1st Benji Jeffreys (University of Stirling) 24.14 2nd Dean Fearn (University of Stirling) 24.23 2nd Dylan Registe (Lisburn) 24.23
Female 200m Freestyle 1st Ellen Walshe (Templeogue) 1:59.32 2nd Grace Davison (Ards) 2:00.65 3rd Lucy Hope (University of Stirling) 2:01.74
Male & Open 200m Freestyle 1st Jack McMillan (University of Stirling) 1:46.77 2nd Duncan Scott (University of Stirling) 1:47.26 3rd Jack Cassin (National Centre Limerick) 1:51.45
Female 200m Breaststroke 1st Ellie McCartney (National Centre Limerick) 2:26.53 2nd Kara Hanlon (Edinburgh) 2:29.78 3rd Maisie Brown (Swim England) 2:35.42
Male & Open 200m Breaststroke 1st Eoin Corby (National Centre Limerick) 2:16.29 2nd Rory Dickson (University of Stirling) 2:18.70 3rd Lachey Reed (National Centre Ulster) 2.21.27
Female 100m Backstroke 1st Ellen Walshe (Templeogue) 1:01.28 2nd Lottie Cullen (National Centre Ulster) 1:02.05 Jena Macdougald (UCD) 1:03.56
Male & Open 100m Backstroke 1st John Shortt (National Centre Limerick) 54.36 2nd Dean Fearn (University of Stirling) 56.05 3rd Charlie Cassidy (Dolphin) 56.75
Notes:
- Friday – Sunday schedule:
Friday/Saturday: Morning Session: 9:00am Finals: 5:30pm
Sunday: Morning Session: 9:00am Finals: 4:30pm
- Live Results: http://live-timings.swimireland.ie/ or Meet Mobile App ‘McCullagh International Meet’
Ireland National Senior Team Schedule 2026:
20th – 22nd February McCullagh International (NAC, Dublin)
13th – 15th March Edinburgh International (Edinburgh, Scotland)
20th – 22nd March Giant Open Meet (Paris, France)
8th – 12th April Irish Open Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials (Bangor, Down)
23rd – 31st May Mare Nostrum Swim Tour (Canet, Barcelona, Monaco)
26th – 28th June Sette Colli Swim Meet (Rome, Italy)
24th – 29th July Commonwealth Games (Glasgow, Scotland)
10th – 16th August European Aquatics Championships (Paris, France)
TBC European Para Swimming Championships
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