Champions Crowned on First Night of National Age Group Championships

Over 700 swimmers from 100 clubs gathered at the University of Limerick Sport Arena for the 2025 Irish Summer National Age Group Championships, running from Thursday to Sunday.

The competition hosts Ireland’s best 12–14-year-old swimmers, all competing for national championship medals. The first national medals were up for grabs on the opening morning of racing in the mixed medley relay. Bangor picked up the first medal of the week, finishing in 2:19.27 to win gold in the 12yrs Mixed 200m Medley Relay. There was another gold for Bangor, this time in the 13/14yrs Mixed 400m Medley Relay, with a time of 4:30.78.

Callum Brown was crowned national champion in the Open 1500m Freestyle, clocking 18:25.81 and bringing gold back to Portadown. Anton Nieuwoudt won the 14yrs race in a time of 17:54.03, the Limerick swimmer winning the national gold for the second consecutive year.

The Girls 100m Breaststroke opened the first evening’s events, with the 12yrs age group on the blocks first. Quinn Allen of Aer Lingus touched home in 1:22.88 to claim gold. In the 13yrs category, Chloe Stewart won gold in a time of 1:20.44, with the 14yrs gold going to City of Derry swimmer Ella Kanis-Dickson (1:17.87).

Next on the blocks were the 13yrs competitors in the Open 400m IM. Bradley Walker claimed top spot on the podium in 5:15.02, while Bangor swimmer Logan Wiggins finished first in the 14yrs race in 4:56.37.

Another Aer Lingus swimmer topped the podium – Alexis Cheng in the 12yrs Girls 200m Freestyle with a time of 2:23.72. Bangor’s Chloe Stewart stopped the clock first in the 13yrs race at 2:14.38, while her clubmate Rebecca Lavery finished first in the 14yrs event, clocking 2:09.24.

In the Open 200m Freestyle, Alvar Joakit of Wexford got his hand on the wall first in a tightly contested race to win gold (2:15.22). Cookstown swimmer Luka Griffin topped the podium in the 13yrs race with a time of 2:10.19, while Portadown’s Dara Hynes finished first in 2:05.36 to claim the 14yrs gold.

Philippa Costello of Dolphin touched the wall in 2:42.97 to win the 12yrs gold medal in the Girls 200m Backstroke. Jessica Sweeney of Drogheda swam 2:33.44 to win the 13yrs national title, with the 14yrs gold going to Rebecca Lavery (Bangor) in 2:25.79.

The Open 100m Breaststroke was the final event of the evening. Tallaght swimmer Eamonn Li topped the podium in the 12yrs race with a time of 1:20.84. The 13yrs national gold was claimed by Luka Griffin (Cookstown) in 1:16.87 – his second gold of the evening. Portadown’s Caolan Doran (1:14.21) came home first in the 14yrs race, just 0.02 seconds ahead of second place.

Full Results:

Mixed 200m Medley Relay (12yrs)

1. Bangor: 2:19.27
2. Aer Lingus: 2:23.13
3. Drogheda: 2:24.61

Mixed 400m Medley Relay (13/14yrs)

1. Bangor: 4:30.78
2. Portadown: 4:33.50
3. Glenalbyn: 4:37.55

Open 1500m Freestyle (13yrs)

1. Brown (Portadown): 18:25.81
2. McQuillan (Lisburn): 18:27.69
3. Li (Tallaght): 18:44.68

Open 1500m Freestyle (14yrs)

1. A. Nieuwoudt (Limerick): 17:54.03
2. R. Jakobsen (Blackrock): 18:54.66
3. L. Hennessy (Spashworld Sharks): 19:07.70

Girls 100m Breaststroke (12yrs)

1. Allen (Aer Lingus): 1:22.88
2. Finnegan (Curragh): 1:25.04
3. Petrea (Templeogue): 1:25.51

Girls 100m Breaststroke (13yrs)

1. Stewart (Bangor): 1:20.44
2. Moore (Portadown): 1:21.51
3. Dobrynina (City of Derry): 1:24.61

Girls 100m Breaststroke (14yrs)

1. Kanis-Dickson (Portadown): 1:17.87
2. Griffin (ESB): 1:19.50
3. Zorychta (Tallaght): 1:19.79

Open 400m IM (13yrs)

1. Walker (Portadown): 5:15.02
2. Li (Tallaght): 5:20.95
3. Lyons (Alsaa): 5:30.73

Open 400m IM (14yrs)

1. Wiggins (Bangor): 4:56.37
2. McBride (Templeogue): 5:01.52
3. R. Mendoza (Glenalbyn): 5:06.33

Girls 200m Freestyle (12yrs)

1. Cheng (Aer Lingus): 2:23.72
2. Raleigh (Orcas): 2:24.40
3. Hamilton (Bangor): 2:25.06

Girls 200m Freestyle (13yrs)

1. Stewart (Bangor): 2:14.38
2. Ní Riain (Limerick): 2:14.65
3. Sweeney (Drogheda): 2:15.83

Girls 200m Freestyle (14yrs)

1. Lavery (Bangor): 2:09.24
2. Mowlds (Trojan): 2:12.32
3. Kanis-Dickson (Portadown): 2:14.36

Open 200m Freestyle (12yrs)

1. Joakit (Wexford): 2:15.22
2. Turner (Streamline): 2:15.91
3. Jordan (Wexford): 2:16.22

Open 200m Freestyle (13yrs)

1. Griffin (Cookstown): 2:10.19
2. McQuillan (Lisburn): 2:10.53
3. Brown (Portadown): 2:11.00

Open 200m Freestyle (14yrs)

1. Hynes (Portadown): 2:05.36
2. McBride (Templeogue): 2:08.10
3. Lobanets (Dolphin): 2:09.73

Girls 200m Backstroke (12yrs)

1. Costello (Dolphin): 2:42.97
2. Raleigh (Orcas): 2:43.25
3. Gilmore (Bangor): 2:43.62

Girls 200m Backstroke (13yrs)

1. Sweeney (Drogheda): 2:33.44
2. Cotter (Trojan): 2:34.63
3. Lynch (Aer Lingus): 2:35.90

Girls 200m Backstroke (14yrs)

1. Lavery (Bangor): 2:25.79
2. Biss (Swim Belfast): 2:32.01
3. Mowlds (Trojan): 2:34.52

Open 100m Breaststroke (12yrs)

1. Li (Tallaght): 1:20.84
2. Fisher (Ards): 1:27.20
3. Magnetti (Galway): 1:27.34

Open 100m Breaststroke (13yrs)

1. Griffin (Cookstown): 1:16.87
2. Li (Tallaght): 1:18.24
3. Keaveney (Tuam): 1:18.70

Open 100m Breaststroke (14yrs)

1. Doran (Portadown): 1:14.21
2. Frasarin (Glenalbyn): 1:14.23
3. Walker (Drogheda): 1:14.47

 

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