Shortt Stars on Opening Night in Slovakia

Ireland’s John Shortt has secured a place in the 50m Backstroke Final on the opening night of racing at the European Aquatics Junior Championships in Slovakia.

The National Centre Limerick swimmer, who is the reigning European Junior Champion in the 200m Backstroke, got his Championships underway this morning with a personal best swim in the 50m Backstroke of 25.51. The 18-year-old, swimming in the second semi-final this evening, clocked 25.63 in a tight race for fourth place, the result seeing him through to Wednesday’s Final in seventh overall.

Neutral athlete Georgii Iakovlev is the top seed for Wednesday’s 17.19 (IRL) Final in 24.98.

 Despite a faster swim than this morning, and a personal best in the 200m Freestyle, Ards’ Grace Davison just missed out on a place in the Final by seven hundredths of a second. The Paris Olympian, whose best time stood at 2:00.63, touched in 2:00.17 for fifth in her heat and tenth overall.

The Paris Olympian is back in action on Wednesday morning in the 50m Freestyle heats.

In the 50m Breaststroke Semi-Final, Adam Bradley was home in 28.79 seconds for sixteenth place overall. The Mount Kelly swimmer will be back in action on Thursday in the 200m Breaststroke.

 Also, in action on Wednesday, one of the youngest members of Team Ireland in Samorin Lucy O’Brien makes her Ireland debut in the 100m Butterfly and Phelim Hanley returns to action in the 200m Individual Medley after an excellent opening day swim in the 200m Butterfly.

 

European Aquatics Junior Championships Day 1 Heats Results

Women 200m Freestyle                     Grace Davison             2:01.23 (9^th)    SF 2:00.17(10^th) PB

Men 200m Freestyle                          Denis O’Brien              1:51.80 PB

Luca Power                  1:54.12

Sean Donnellan           1:54.81

Tadgh O’Brien             1:57.45

Women 400m IM                               Niamh Connery           5:11.96

Women 50m Backstroke                   Adeline Cloutier          30.61

Men 50m Backstroke                         John Shortt                  25.51 (3^rd) PB  SF25.63 (7^th) Q

Women 50m Breaststroke                Ava Jones                    32.40

Men 50m Breaststroke                      Adam Bradley             28.42 (15^th) PB            SF28.79 (16^th)

Men 200m Butterfly                          Phelim Hanley             2:03.23 PB

Sean Donnellan           2:07.52

Thomas Bugler            2:06.83 PB

Women 1500m Freestyle                  Clare Custer                16:51.20

                                                           

European Aquatics Junior Championships Day 2 Heats Schedule

Women 100m Butterfly                     Lucy O’Brien

Men 200m IM                                     Phelim Hanley

Women 50m Freestyle                       Grace Davison

Men 50m Backstroke Final                John Shortt

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