SWIMMING Five Irish Swimmers Qualify for World Championships at the Dave McCullagh Memorial Meet
The total number of Irish qualifiers for the World Championships has risen to 8 following Day 2 of the 2009 Dave McCullagh Memorial Gala at the University Arena in Limerick. Grainne Murphy, who qualified on Day 1 yesterday, has been followed on the plane to Rome by fellow Limerick High Performance Centre swimmer Niamh O'Sullivan, Donal O'Neill of Trojan, Clare Dawson who is based in Stirling in Scotland and Olympian Aisling Cooney. The team to date is completed with US based swimmers Ryan Harrison and Karl Burdis and Irelands other female 2008 Olympian Melanie Nocher.
Donal O'Neill achieved qualification in the 100m Backstroke in a new Irish Senior record time of 55.84. Other new records set included a new Irish Senior and Junior Record for Grainne Murphy in the 1500m Freestyle in a time of 16:42.31, knocking an amazing 40 seconds from the previous senior record held by Niamh O'Sullivan.
Steven McQuillan of Ards set a new Irish Senior Record of 24.70 in the 50m Butterfly, breaking his own previous time of 25.11 and achieving the standard for the World Student Games in the process. Michael Dawson broke his own Irish Junior Record in the 50m Breaststroke in a time of 29.51.
Leander swimmer Sycerika McMahon and Dan Sweeney from Sundays Well in Cork have achieved the qualification time for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland in July while
Ireland will be represented by Grainne Murphy and Michael Dawson at the European Juniors in Prague.
City of Belfast broke the Irish Senior & Junior Records in the Men's 200m Freestyle relay in a time of 1:36.00. The team was made up by Gavin Williamson, James Gilmer, Iain Chisholm and Conor Leaney.
The competition continues tomorrow, Sunday and all bodes well for Irish Swimming ahead of the major summer Long Course Competitions.
For further information contact:
Chantal Gibney / Robert Mooney, Swim Ireland
Ph: 086 3817933 / 086 8094786
Email: edo2@swimireland.ie / hp@swimireland.ie