O’Brien Duo Deliver New Lifetime Bests in Samorin

After five days of exciting racing, Irish swimmers headed to the blocks for the final day of the 2025 European Aquatics Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, showing no signs of slowing down with new lifetime bests.  

 

Denis O’Brien delivered the standout performance this morning in the 400m Freestyle. The National Centre (Limerick) man broke the 4-minute barrier for the first time, going 3:59.87 to set a new lifetime best. 

 

Speaking after the race, O’Brien: “I feel amazing, first-time sub-4 minutes, it’s a very hard barrier to break and I’ve sat on it for a long time now, I’m happy to have it smashed and looking forward to the future. It’s a privilege to race in these conditions, I’m very proud to be Irish and to be able to stand up on the block and represent my country on the national stage. I’m very happy with how the competition played out under these harsh conditions (weather), it can be hard to stay focused, so I’m happy overall.” 

 

Speaking on the positive team environment, O’Brien added: “We’ve bonded a lot, there’s 17 of us on the team, it’s a big team. We’ve been able to support and get behind each other, especially during the finals, that really helps push them on strive to be better. I’m so excited to watch John and Grace later, they’ve both had amazing swims, I think we will have another couple tonight, I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do.” 

 

Also competing in the 400m Freestyle this morning were Tadhg O’Brien and Luca Power, both racing at their first international competition for Ireland. O’Brien came through in 4:06.03, the Dolphin man closing out his campaign with a new lifetime best.  

 

The Cork man spoke after saying: “I feel pretty good, it was a hard week, I didn’t PB early, still a lot to improve, but overall, I’m happy with that. It’s been a good learning experience, we’ve all got really close as a team, and became really good friends, it’s been fun.” 

 

New Ross’ Luca O’Brien, who was part of yesterday’s relay team who set a new Irish Junior Record, clocked 4:09.43 said: “That was tough, the first few races were tough, it’s my first time racing outdoors and racing at an international level. The relay was great, I made personal best in my split yesterday, I was happy with that.” 

 

Adeline Cloutier, Naimh Connery, Lucy O’Brien and Ava Jones took to the blocks this morning to compete in the women’s 4x100m Medley Relay, clocking a combined 4:19.80 to bring their week in Samorin to a close.  

 

Speaking after the event, Cloutier said: “It was fun to end the meet in the relay with these girls, we just came in wanting to execute it well and just go for it.” 

 

Connery added: “It was good, it was great to do it as a team, it’s a nice way to finish the meet in the sun.” 

 

While Jones finished off by saying: “The best way to end a competition is on a fun relay, and that was so much fun, I can’t wait to watch the boys relay team race now.” 

 

It was quickly over to the men’s 4×100 Medley team, a quartet of Phelim Hanley, Adam Bradley, Matthew Hamilton and Reuben Alty clocked 3:49.11, just two seconds shy of the Irish Junior Record.  

 

Speaking in the mixed-zone, Hanley said: “It was incredible, I didn’t think I would be on the relay, it was really fun with these lads, good bunch of boys.” 

 

Bradley added: “The week started strong, dipped a little but ended on a high, it’s so much fun to racing with everyone.” 

 

Alty said: “It’s incredible, my first relay of the week and to step up and do such a good job like we did, I’m so happy.” 

 

While Hamilton finished with: “It’s been phenomenal to be able to race relays and as an individual at such a high level, especially with such a great team, we will get behind the guys later.” 

 

Having represented Ireland earlier in the week in the 800m and 1500m Freestyle, Clare Custer returned to the water for the 400m Freestyle. Custer, who won gold at the recent Irish Open Championships, came home in a time of 4:23.14 to close out her debut campaign on the international stage.  

 

Tonight, will see the two newly minted European Junior bronze medalists, Grace Davison and John Shortt return to the European final stage for the 200 IM and 100m Backstroke finals, respectively, to close out the campaign for Ireland.  

  

European Aquatics Junior Championships Day 6 Schedule  

  

(W) 400m Freestyle                                       Clare Custer, 4:23.14 

(M) 400m Freestyle                                       Luca Power, 4:09.43 Tadhg O’Brien, 4:06.03 (PB), Denis O’Brien, 3:59.87 (PB) 

(W) 4x100m Medley Relay                           Team Ireland, 4:19.80 

(M) 4x100m Medley Relay                            Team Ireland, 3:39.11 

 

European Aquatics Junior Championships Day 6 Schedule  

 

Grace Davison, 200m IM Final 17:00  

John Shortt, 100m Backstroke Final 17:07 

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