SWIMMING: Barry Murphy Finishes Seventh in 50m Breastroke Final at European Swimming Championships

Twenty-three year old Dubliner Barry Murphy finished in seventh place today at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Croatia, in the final of the Men's 50m breastroke. And his journey to get there was impressive. Murphy recorded three new Irish Senior Records in his 50m breastroke heat (28.63), semi-final (26.74) and final (26.73) respectively and also managed to set a new Irish Senior Record of 55.34 in the 100m Individual Medley - all in a day's work. The Irish-based swimmer's seventh place finish adds to his eighth place finish in the 50m freestyle final earlier in the competition.

New milestones for Irish swimmers continued to be made with Olympian Aisling Cooney lowering the 50m backstroke Irish Senior Record to 28.63 in her heat swim today.

The Women's 400m freestyle also became an Irish success story. Niamh O' Sullivan made herself the fastest Irish woman in the pool over this distance by breaking a five year old Irish Senior Record (4.12.05) to record a new best of 4.10.71. The record was previously held by Chantal Gibney. Ireland's other distance girls finished the event in 4.18.52 and 4.23.48 respectively. (Bethany Carson's Junior Record of 4.16.90 set two months ago still stands).

Veteran swimmer Donal O'Neill proved he was in top form in the Men's 100m backstroke by lowering his own previous Irish Senior record of 55.42 to 55.34.

For further information contact:

Chantal Gibney, Swim Ireland
Ph: 086 3817933
Email: edo2@swimireland.ie