Swimming Paralympic World Championships

For Immediate Release Tuesday 17th August 2010


IRISH SWIMMERS CONTINUE TO BREAK BARRIERS AT PARALYMPIC
WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN EINDHOVEN

Ireland's swimmers continued their run of successful performances at the IPC World Swimming Championships in Eindhoven today. Four athletes achieved personal best with Clare teenager, Jonathan McGrath finishing 5th in the final of the 400m Freestyle (S8 Class). Swimming in front of HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, McGrath, produced an outstanding performance to set a new personal best of 4.52.69, finishing 5th behind Thomas Young of Great Britain.

Speaking afterwards in the media room, an excited McGrath said, "It couldn't have gone any better for me in the final tonight, it's my first appearance at a world championships and to make a final and a 8 sec lifetime best, I'm chuffed. I couldn't have asked for anymore."

Cookstown's vision impaired swimmer, Stephen Campbell was in action in both the 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly events. Campbell set a new personal best time of 1.12.47 in the heats of the 100m Butterfly and narrowly missed out on a final, finishing 9th overall. Stephen posted a time of 1.07.54 in the 100m Freestyle heats finishing in 11th position.

Continuing a successful morning in the pool, Northern Ireland swimmers, Matthew Bell and James Hamilton battled it out in the heats of the 100m Backstroke (S14 Class). Bell set a new personal best of 1.14.86 taking 2 seconds off his pervious best while Hamilton finished with a time of 1.18.76 taking a huge 4 seconds of his previous mark. In a strong field of 32 athletes, neither athlete progressed to the final.

Back in action again today, Jonathan Cummings finished 11th overall in the men's 100m Backstroke event (S6 Class) while Gina Lourens finishing 8th in the women's 400m Freestyle (S8 Class).

Commenting after today's competition, Dave Malone, Head of Paralympic Swimming and himself a Paralympic medallist said, "Jonathan McGrath had an outstanding performance in an extremely well paced race throughout, a great achievement to finish 5th in his first world championships, against a quality world field. Good performances overall showing grit and determination. Very Promising swimming from a young team shows great promise for the future."

Competition continues tomorrow, August 18th, for the Irish Swimmers at the Pieter van den Hoogenband swimming stadium with 4 athletes in action in tomorrow mornings session. The Irish athletes are:

Stephen Campbell, 50m Freestyle
James Hamilton, 100m Breaststroke
Matthew Bell, 100m Breaststroke
Gina Lourens, 50m Freestyle

ENDS

For further information contact:
John Fulham, PCI Communications Officer, 087-2709182
communications@pcireland.ie