SWIMMING Cooney Takes Gold in Leisureland

The Leisureland Irish National Short Course Swimming Championships kicked off today in Salthill, Galway with the men's 50m breaststroke event in which Dan Sweeney (Sunday's Well) took gold in a time of 30.78 seconds. The four day event runs from today until Sunday with heats starting at 09:30am and finals commencing at 16:30pm.

Olympian Aisling Cooney (ESB) tested the waters today, ahead of her trip to Eindhoven, Holland next week where she will compete at the European short course Swimming Championships. Cooney won the 50m backstroke ahead of Aer Lingus teammates Amy McVeigh and Niamh McDonnell. Cooney clocked 28.49 - just .22 outside her own Irish record time.

Other winners on day one included Niamh Bryson, in the 50m breaststroke (35.08), William Ensor (Westwood) in the 50m backstroke (27.40), Conor Turner (Aer Lingus) in the 1500m freestyle (15.47.78) and Niamh O'Sullivan (Kingdom) in the 800m freestyle (8.52.13).