McCartney Secures World Championships Time; Walshe Lowers Freestyle Record
Ellie McCartney and Ellen Walshe starred on the penultimate night of racing at the 2025 Irish Open Swimming Championships at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre with McCartney locking in a consideration time for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, bringing the number with times achieved to seven and Walshe lowering her newly minted 200m Freestyle Irish Record.
McCartney, who has been having the meet of her life in Dublin, secured a sensational Championship Record and consideration time for the World Aquatics Championships in the 200m Breaststroke Semi-Final. The 20-year-old, who came into the meet with a best time of 2:26.07, skipped over 2:25 to clock 2:24.35 and go well under the consideration time of 2:25.91 for the Singapore Championships. The National Centre Limerick swimmer now has consideration times for the European U23 Championships, World University Games and World Championships and is Ireland’s second fastest ever 100m and 200m female breaststroke swimmer behind Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry.
The 20-year-old from Enniskillen spoke after the race ‘I’m over the moon, I never imagined to be 2:24, I thought it was going to be a push to make that A standard time but tonight I just wanted to give it my all, anything that was left in the tank from this week, just finish on a high.’
On Monday night’s 100m Breaststroke Final McCartney added ‘The 100 last night, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to race Mona, she wasn’t at last year’s Irish Open, so I just want to make the most of an opportunity, I love going out and racing and to get anywhere close to Mona for me it’s mind blowing, it’s something I’ve always wanted to achieve, she pushes me and she inspires me’.
Walshe, who set a new Irish Record of 1:59.31 in the morning heats of the 200m Freestyle, became the first Irishwoman under 1:59 as she clocked 1:58.88 in the Semi-Final to progress as top seed to Wednesday’s Final. The Templeogue swimmer is still to compete in her main event, the 400m Individual Medley, where she is an Olympic Finalist, on Wednesday morning.
National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen claimed the first hardware of the day in the Female 200m Backstroke Final. Cullen, already having achieved consideration times for the European U23 Championships and World University Games completed the backstroke double adding the 100m gold she won on Sunday. Cullen touched in 2:14.67 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Maria Godden (2:17.08) and Banbridge’s Annabelle Wilkinson (2:18.39). Commemorative gold went to Germany’s Gabriela Georgieva in 2:13.07.
Having set a new Irish Senior Record of 1:56.61 and securing a consideration time for the World Aquatics Championships in the 200m Backstroke Semi-Final, National Centre Limerick’s John Shortt withdrew from the Final as he sits his Leaving Certificate oral on Wednesday morning. In his absence, Swim Belfast’s Brandon Biss won his first National Title in 2:01.16, also securing a consideration time for the European U23 Championships. Silver went to New Ross’ Emmet Cousins in 2:04.80 and bronze to Bangor’s Brydan Byrne in 2:04.81.
Alana Burns-Atkin claimed her second gold medal of the week in the 100m Butterfly Final. The National Centre Ulster swimmer swam a personal best 1:00.70 to add to the 200m Butterfly Title she won on Tuesday night. Silver went to National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien in 1:02.49 with New Ross’ Eva Bayley completing the podium in 1:03.89.
National Centre Ulster’s Adam Colgan won his first national title topping the podium in the open 200m Individual Medley in 2:06.52. Commemorative silver went to Germany’s Tobias Van Aggelen who got the touch in 2:07.50 just ahead of Irish silver medallist Tom Wilkinson of Banbridge in 2:08.08. Bronze went to Templeogue’s Baltazar Allende in 2:10.93.
Already under consideration for the European U23 Championships, Eoin Corby secured a consideration time in the 200m Breaststroke Semi-Final for the World University Games. The National Centre Limerick swimmer is top seed for Wednesday’s Final after a semi-final swim of 2:12.30 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (2:18.71) and Bangor’s Adam Bradley (2:18.99).
In the Female 50m Freestyle Semi-Finals, Larne’s Danielle Hill was the only swimmer under 26 seconds touching in 25.22. In joint second overall National Centre Dublin’s Rosalie Phelan and Ards’ Grace Davison clocked 26.13, Davison securing her third consideration time for the European Junior Championships.
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin will be the fastest Irish swimmer in Wednesday’s 200m Butterfly Final. Cassin, who clocked 2:01.15 is the reigning Irish Champion in the event and a win in Wednesday’s Final would see him claim three titles in a row in the event.
The final heats session of the Irish Open Championships on Wednesday morning will feature female and open races in the 400m Individual Medley, 50, Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly. Last week it was announced that the three 50m events would be added to the programme for the 2028 LA Olympic Games.
Day 4
F 200m Backstroke Final: 1st G Georgieva Germany 2:13.07 (commemorative) 1st L Cullen National Centre Ulster 2:14.37 2nd M Godden National Centre Limerick 2:17.08 3rd A Wilkinson Banbridge 2:18.39
O 200m Backstroke Final: 1st B Biss Swim Belfast 2:01.16 2nd E Cousins New Ross 2:04.80 3rd B Byrne Bangor 2:04.81
F 100m Butterfly Final: 1st A Burns Atkin National Centre Ulster 1:00.70 2nd L O’Brien National Centre Limerick 1:02.49 3rd Eva Bayley New Ross 1:03.89
O 200m IM Finals: 1st A Colgan National Centre Ulster 2:06.52 2nd T Van Aggelen Germany 2:07.50 (commemorative) 2nd T Wilkinson Banbridge 2:08.08 3rd B Allende Templeogue 2:10.93
International Swimming Events Summer 2025
2025 World Aquatics Championships in Kallang, Singapore, 27th July – 3rd August
Consideration Process Achieved: Ellen Walshe (100m, 200m Butterfly, 200m, 400m IM), Danielle Hill (100m Backstroke), John Shortt (100m Backstroke), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle), Daniel Wiffen (800m, 1500m Freestyle), Mona McSharry (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Ellie McCartney (200m Breaststroke)
2025 Para Swimming Championships in Kallang, Singapore, 21st – 27th September
Qualification Time Achieved: Róisín NíRiain, Barry McClements, Dearbhaile Brady, Deaten Registe, Síomha Brady
2025 World University Games in Berlin, Germany, 17th – 23rd July
Consideration Time Achieved: Ellie McCartney (100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke, 200m IM), Evan Bailey (100m, 200m Freestyle), Lottie Cullen (100m Backstroke), Eoin Corby (200m Breaststroke)
2025 European Aquatics U23 Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, 26th – 28th June
Consideration Time Achieved: Lottie Cullen (100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke), Ellie McCartney (100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke, 200m IM), Cormac Rynn (200m, 400m Freestyle), Evan Bailey (100, 200m Freestyle), Maria Godden (100m Backstroke), Jack Cassin (200m Freestyle, 100m, 200m Butterfly), Oisin Tebite (50m Freestyle), Eoin Corby (100m, 200m Breaststroke), Brandon Biss (200m Backstroke)
2025 European Junior Aquatics Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, 1st – 6th July
Consideration Time Achieved: John Shortt (100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke), Grace Davison (50m, 100m Freestyle,200m IM), Clare Custer (1500m Freestyle), Adam Bradley (100m Breaststroke), Matthew Hamilton (50m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly), Niamh Connery (100m Breaststroke), Thomas Bugler (100m Butterfly), Phelim Hanley (100m Butterfly), Tadhg O’Brien (400m Freestyle), Lucy O’Brien (100m Butterfly), Ava Jones (100m Breaststroke)
2025 European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje, Macedonia, 20th – 26th July
Consideration Time Achieved: Shea Mathers (100m Butterfly), Julia Dziedzic (200m Backstroke, 400m Freestyle)
2025 World Aquatics Junior Championships in Otopeni, Romania, 19th – 24th August
Qualification for this event will take place at the European Junior Championships in July.
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