Shortt, Davison and Bradley Advance to Semi-Finals on Opening Day of European Junior Championships

Ireland’s John Shortt, Grace Davison and Adam Bradley have all progressed through the heats to semi-finals on the opening day of racing at the European Aquatics Junior Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, the same venue that hosted last weeks’ European Aquatics U23 Championships.

Reigning 200m Backstroke European Junior Champion John Shortt got his campaign underway in the 50m Backstroke heats with a personal best swim of 25.51 to finish second in his heat and will be third seed into the semi-final. The National Centre Limerick swimmers previous best had stood at 25.69 from 2023.

In the 200m Freestyle, Paris Olympian Grace Davison was third in her heat in 2:01.23, the Ards swimmer advances eighth overall into the semi-final and will look to be on her best time of 2:00.63 to qualify for Wednesday’s Final.

Adam Bradley, swimming the 50m Breaststroke, will also be in semi-final action on Tuesday. The Mount Kelly (UK) swimmer clocked a personal best of 28.42 to progress fourth from his heat and fifteenth overall.

In the Men’s 200m Butterfly both Phelim Hanley of Blackrock and Sundays Wells’ Thomas Bugler impressed with big personal bests. Hanley took over three seconds off his best of 2:06.86 touching in 2:03.23 while Bugler knocked over four seconds off his best of 2:10.90 coming home in 2:06.83.

Sean Donnellan was also competing in the 200m Butterfly clocking 2:07.52. The Glenalbyn swimmer had earlier finished in 1:54.81 in the 200m Freestyle.

Also, competing in the 200m Freestyle, National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien was the fastest of the Irish swimmers in a personal best of 1:51.80. New Ross’ Luca Power touched in 1:54.12 and Dolphin’s Tadgh O’Brien in 1:57.45

 Shark’s (Galway) Niamh Connery got her European Juniors underway in the 400m Individual Medley in 5:11.96. Adeline Cloutier made her Ireland debut in the 50m Backstroke in 30.61, while National Centre Dublin’s Ava Jones warmed up for her main events in the 50m Breaststroke clocking 32.40.

Clare Custer took on the final event of the day, the 1500m Freestyle Heats, completing her Ireland debut in 16:51.20, just outside her best time of 16:49.26 and finishing twelfth overall.

European Aquatics Junior Championships Day 1 Heats Results

Women 200m Freestyle                     Grace Davison             2:01.23 (9^th) Q SF

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) Q SF | PB

Women 50m Breaststroke                Ava Jones                    32.40

Men 50m Breaststroke                      Adam Bradley             28.42 (15^th) Q SF | PB

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 1 Finals Schedule

Women 200m Freestyle Semi-Final  Grace Davison             17.09 (Ireland)

Men 50m Backstroke Semi-Final       John Shortt                  17.36 (Ireland)

Men 50m Breaststroke Semi-Final    Adam Bradley             17.57 (Ireland)

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