Hill Strikes Silver at Mare Nostrum
The Mare Nostrum Swim Tour resumed this evening in France, with Canet hosting the third and final stop of the prestigious meet. Six Irish swimmers took to the blocks for Saturday’s Finals.
Danielle Hill continued to impress at the Mare Nostrum, having won 50m Backstroke Gold in Barcelona earlier this week, the Larne swimmer blazed through the water once again in the event, stopping the clock at 27.84 to finish second and claim silver. Hill also competed in tonight’s 100m Freestyle Final, clocking 1:00.85.
Fellow Paris Olympian Grace Davison ramped up her preparation for the 2025 European Junior Championships, competing in the 200m Individual Medley Final the Ards swimmer clocked an impressive 2:14.94 to finish in fourth place.
Lottie Cullen continued her preparation for a busy Summer, taking to the blocks this evening for the 200m Backstroke Final. The National Centre (Ulster) swimmer dropped over three seconds from her heat time (2:19.73), finishing seventh in 2:16.34. Cullen’s National Centre (Ulster) teammate Annabelle Wilkinson also featured in the final, placing eighth in 2:17.81.
Brandon Biss, who is set to represent Ireland at the European Aquatics U23 Championships this summer, competed in the 200m Backstroke Final. The 20-year-old improved on his morning swim of 2:06.61, clocking 2:05.11 to finish seventh.
Ellie McCartney qualified for another final at the Mare Nostrum, this time it was in the 100m Breaststroke event. McCartney, who will represent Ireland at both the European U23 Championships next month and the World Championships, recorded a time of 1:08.44 to finish sixth. Her National Centre teammate and fellow international representative Eoin Corby followed in the pool, posting a time of 1:01.95 to also finish sixth.
In the 50m Backstroke Maria Godden posted 28.93 and Lottie Cullen 29.13, while Jack Cassin went 53.77 in the 100m Butterfly – all three swimmers will don the Irish cap at senior international meets this summer.
Several of Ireland’s European Junior athletes were also in action on Saturday as they prepare for the European Championships in July. Matthew Hamilton swam the 50m Freestyle in 23.13, Phelim Hanley posted 2:09.04 in the 200m Backstroke, Niamh Connery clocked 1:11.11 in the 100m Breaststroke, and Adam Bradley swam 1:03.53 in the men’s event.
Sunday marks the final day of racing at the 2025 Mare Nostrum Swim Tour, with Daniel Wiffen set to return to the blocks for the 1500m Freestyle.
Competition Information
Heats: 8am, Finals: 4:30pm (Irish Time)
Ireland National Senior Team 2025 Schedule:
21st – 22nd May Mare Nostrum Swim Tour (Barcelona, Spain)
24th – 25th May Mare Nostrum Swim Tour (Canet-en-Roussillon, France)
26th – 28th June Sette Colli Swim Meet (Rome, Italy)
26th – 28th June European Aquatics U23 Championships
27th July – 3rd August World Aquatics Swimming Championships (Singapore)
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