SWIMMING: Records Tumble for Irish Swimmers at European Short Course Championships

Irish records continued to tumble at the Kantrida Indoor Swimming Complex in Rijeka, Croatia today on the second day of competition at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008. Five new Irish records were established in total in the heat swims this morning.

The first Irish competitor of the day, Donal O'Neill recorded a time of 25.05 in the Men's 50m backstroke, to claim a new Irish Senior Record. The previous record mark was held by himself and set in 2004 - the year he retired from the sport of swimming before deciding to make a comeback.

In the Women's 200m breastroke Fiona Doyle clocked a 2.33.74 - finishing outside of her personal best time.

Barry Murphy, following his eighth place finish in the final of the Men's 50m freestyle yesterday established another Irish Senior Record this morning - this time in the heats of the Men's 100m freestyle. Murphy clocked a time of 48.69; three tenths of a second inside his own previous Irish record mark - making him the fastest Irishman in history over this distance in the pool. Conor Leaney also established a new Irish Junior Record in the same event - 50.02, adding to his 50m freestyle junior record which he set yesterday.

The Irish quartet of Fiona Doyle, Aisling Cooney, Claire Dawson and Melanie Nocher kept the momentum alive when they clocked a new Irish Senior Record in the Women's 4x50m Freestyle team relay, finishing in a time of 1.42.31.

In the final event of the morning on day two of the Championships, the Women's 800m freestyle saw Grainne Murphy establishing a new Irish Junior and Senior Record in a time of 8.40.48. The previous Senior record was held by Michelle Smith and was set at 8.44.06. Niamh O'Sullivan, not far from the heels of Murphy recorded a time of 8.45.08.

Ireland has no swimmers racing in the later semi-final/final session this afternoon however tomorrow morning's line up of heats includes an Irish swimmer in almost every event.

For further information contact:
Chantal Gibney, Swim Ireland
Ph: 086 3817933
Email: edo2@swimireland.ie