Walshe and Hill Through to Semi-Finals in Singapore
Ellen Walshe and Danielle Hill have comfortably qualified for the semi-finals of the 200m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke respectively on the fourth day of racing of the World Aquatics Championships at the Singapore Sports Hub.
Walshe, who only added the 200m Butterfly back to her roster earlier this year after a five-year gap, swam the third fastest time of her career in this morning’s heats coming home in 2:09.15, placing second in her heat and advancing seventh overall.
The Templeogue swimmer holds the Irish Record in the event at 2:08.42 from March of this year.
Commenting after the race Walshe said ‘Yeah, I think just to get out there this morning I knew it was going to be quick enough to get make it back. I think just go enjoy it tonight, I’m kind of a bit unexperienced in the senior field in this event so I don’t really know what to expect.’
On the potential of making a final in the event she added ‘I’m not going to jump straight to that, but I think to go out there tonight and do what I did this morning, like control the first hundred to an extent and then just get after the second 100 as strong as I can and just see where it places me tonight, but yeah, it should be a good race, it’s quite stacked out there.’
Hill was the first Irish swimmer off the blocks on Wednesday morning. The Larne swimmer clocked 27.84, exactly on her season’s best, to win the first seeded heat and secure a semi-final place in tenth overall.
The double Olympian, who is the current European Champion in the event, holds the Irish Record at 27.64 from 2024.
Hill spoke after the race ‘I’m buzzing. I know I might not sound or look it, but I think after Monday (100m Backstroke Heats) I was a little bit disappointed in myself. But, I took that swim forward and I looked at it and the shoulder wasn’t sore and so all I had to take was confidence from the event, and bring it into this morning, and again, worked with the team throughout the last 24 hours to make sure that I was behind that block again and stood up this time and done the right job.’
Hill’s semi-final will take place at 12.38 with Walshe competing at 13.16. Daniel Wiffen will be first up, swimming the 800m Freestyle Final, where he will look to defend his 2024 World Championship title, at 12.02 (IRL).
Also, in action on Thursday, Evan Bailey, who equalled the Irish Record and progressed to the Semi-Finals of the 200m Freestyle earlier in the week, was back for the 100m Freestyle. Bailey touched second in his heat in 49.52, just outside his best time of 49.15.
Speaking on his race Bailey said ‘It was a decent swim, it wasn’t anything special, it was 0.4 off my PB, but yeah, just to get in, swim, get that experience here, get it under the belt, so next time I come back, I’ll know exactly what to do. Not the best of my life, but the focus hasn’t really been sprint and the 100 free recently. The last few months I’ve been up at altitude and working more on my endurance and just build my aerobic capacity to build that 200 (Freestyle), so I’m not overly disappointed with that time for the 100 as it wasn’t really the main focus, but yeah, hopefully now I’m going to try building the speed in the next coming months and I’ll get that 100 better along with the 200, so I’ll have multiple events.’
The 100m Freestyle was Bailey’s final individual event of the meet, the National Centre Limerick swimmer will be back however on Friday for the Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay.
Results – Day 4 Wednesday 30th July
| Women 50m Backstroke | Danielle Hill | 27.84 (10th) |
| Men 100m Freestyle | Evan Bailey | 49.52 (37th) |
| Women 200m Butterfly | Ellen Walshe | 2:09.15 (7th |
Schedule – Day 4 Wednesday 30th July
| Men 800m Freestyle Final | Daniel Wiffen | 12.02 (IRL) |
| Women 50m Backstroke | Danielle Hill | 12.38 (IRL) |
| Women 200m Butterfly | Ellen Walshe | 13.16 (IRL) |
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