Irish Swimmers Shine at European Championships

It was an incredible week for Irish swimming, even before Ellen Walshe made history. The team won seven medals in six days at the European Short-Course Championships in Lublin, Poland.

Walshe was the last Irish swimmer to compete on Sunday. She became the first Irish woman to win gold at a European Short-Course event.She won the 200-meter butterfly in an exciting race, moving from fifth place to first in the final two lengths.

Just under 45 minutes after that race, Walshe swam in the final of the 400-meter individual medley, almost winning a third medal. she was in fourth place at the halfway point and briefly moved to second during the breaststroke. However, she finished seventh as her earlier efforts took their toll during the freestyle leg.

It was still a very prosperous week for the 24-year-old from Templeogue and her coach, Brian Sweeney. Walshe also won silver in the 200-meter medley on Saturday, improving on her bronze medal from the same event two years ago in Otopeni, Romania.

The Irish team earned a total of seven medals. Daniel Wiffen won three freestyle medals (bronze in the 400m and 800m, gold in the 1,500m). John Shortt won gold in the 200-meter backstroke, setting a world junior record. Evan Bailey unexpectedly won bronze in the 200-meter freestyle.

Walshe arrived in Lublin in top form, having set six irish records (in the 200m butterfly, 200m medley, and 400m medley) at the World Aquatics World Cup in Indiana, USA, in October.She set another Irish record of 2:03.24 while winning the 200-meter butterfly gold, beating race favourite Helena Back from denmark (2:03.56).

“I just had to hang on,but it shows all the hard work I’ve put in has paid off,” said Walshe,who also swam in a 400-meter medley heat on Sunday.