SWIMMING Irish Age Group Championships kick off at the NAC

The first day of the Irish Age Group Division 1 Swimming Championships kicked off today in the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin. The competition sees 56 Irish swimming clubs compete with 6 visiting clubs from the UK.

The first final of the afternoon saw a closely fought swim in the 11/12 year old boys 400m Freestyle, Michael Kelly (4:54.62) of Athlone SC touched in .48 of a second ahead of Swilly Seals Leon Vaughan (4:55.12), Banjamin Doyle (4:56.48) Aer Lingus SC came in third. In the 15 year old boys 400m Freestyle event Conor Turner of Aer Lingus SC came out on top finishing in a time of 4.11.16 ahead of Brendan Gibbons of Athlone SC (4.14.66) and David Prendergast Kilkenny SC (4:19.12).

Westwood SC's Aisling Byrne took gold in the girls 13 year olds 200m Butterfly event in a time of 2:37.69 closely followed by Bangor's Mary Kate McDowell (2:38.08) and Natasha Pollock (2.41.86) Lisburn City SC. In the girls 14 year olds 100m Backstroke event Jane Roberts (1:07.27) from Kilkenny SC came in first place ahead of Sligos Shona Keaveney (1:09.70) and Dayna Clegg (1:09.89) Templeogue SC. Galway had a clean sweep of medals in the girls 13 year olds 200m Individual Medley race with Ruth Keogh (2:34.53) Fiona Staunton (2:38.68) and Katie McKnight (2:38.77) finishing in first, second and third places respectively.

Tonight's finals session concluded with the Girls 13/14 Medley Team Relay and Boys 15 Freestyle Team Relay. In the girls event Templeogue swimming clubs Dayna Clegg, Niamh Bryson, Katelyn Field and Eva Barrett took gold in a very respectable time of 2:10.55 ahead of Galway SC (2:13.16) and Bangor SC (2:13.93). In the boys event Sean O'Brien, Andrew Hynes, Reuben O'Sullivan and Conor Turner of Aer Lingus (1:47.89) touched in first place ahead of Athlone SC (1:49.43) and Ennis SC (1:54.02).

The event continues tomorrow Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th July 2010.