Top Irish Swimmers Book Summer Championship Spots on Opening Finals Night
The first night of finals at the Irish Open Swimming Championships and Commonwealth Games at the Bangor Aurora saw several of Ireland’s top swimmers, including Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen, qualify for Summer International Meets including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July and European Aquatics Championships in Paris in August.
Wiffen got the night underway with a solid swim of 14:51.38 in the 1500m Freestyle to take his first national title of the weekend. Wiffen, who has qualified for both the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, touched ahead of his twin brother Nathan in 15:20.88 and National Centre Limerick’s Daragh Horgan in 16:09.03.
Speaking after the race Wiffen said ‘I’d say it’s 50/50 as to whether I’m happy or not with the swim. I need to look at the splits, I felt really good up to like 1000m, and then I felt like I kind of faded away a little bit and was seizing up. That’s good for an 800m, that’s good for all other events, whereas with the 1500 sometimes you go unbelievable and then sometimes it’s not good at all, and that was kind of middle ground, so I’m pretty pleased, but also kind of disappointed.’
Grace Davison, who set a new Irish Senior and Championship Record of 54.45 in the 100m Freestyle in this morning’s heats, was first home in the final in 54.88 to win her first gold of the week. Larne’s Danielle Hill was second in 55.92 with bronze going to National Centre Ulster’s Victoria Catterson in 56.12
Eighteen-year-old Davison, who has now qualified for the Commonwealth Games and European Aquatics Championships, spoke after the race ‘I’m really happy with that (day), but if I’m honest I’m probably a little bit disappointed with tonight, I wanted to go a bit quicker, I was 54.4 this morning and 54.8 there. But, it’s all learning for me, and I think a big thing for me is learning to be quicker in the morning, so when I do go to the international stage I can progress through the rounds, so if anything, it’s interesting to see that I can go quicker in the morning than in the final. I’m really happy to get all those times out of the way on the first day of the competition, it’s pretty cool.’
In the Open 100m Freestyle Final Evan Bailey improved on his morning time of 48.98 to top the podium in 48.98, a second personal best of the day for the National Centre Limerick swimmer, and under the qualification time for the European Aquatics Championships. Bangor’s James Ward won silver in 49.54 with Lisburn City’s Matthew Hamilton picking up bronze in 49.89.
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin was impressive as he secured the 200m Butterfly National Title in a personal best and Championship Record of 1:57.05, breaking Brendan Hyland’s 2019 record of 1:57.21. Cassin who went under the qualification time for the European Aquatics Championships, was the only swimmer under the two-minute mark with his team mate at Limerick Paddy Johnston second in 2:00.03, while UCD’s Sean Donnellan claimed bronze in 2:01.47.
Ellen Walshe took her first win of the week in the Female 200m Butterfly Final and was under the qualification time for the European Aquatics Championships. The Templeogue swimmer won out in 2:09.74 over National Centre Ulster’s Alana Burns Atkin (2:16.44) and Swim Belfast’s Eve Leleux (2:23.71).
Sundays Wells’ Clare Custer, a triple national champion from 2025, won the 800m Freestyle Final in 8:52.63, under the qualification standard for the European Aquatics Junior Championships. The 18-year-old cruised to victory ahead of Bangor team-mates Chloe Stewart (9:15.76) and Eva Hand (9:18.50). Visitor Fleur Lewis of Loughborough University was first home in the race taking a commemorative gold in 8:48.33.
Results Day 1
Open 1500m Freestyle Final: 1st D Wiffen Cal Berkley 14:51.38 2nd N Wiffen Cal Berkley 15:20.88 3rd D Horgan National Centre Limerick 16:09.03
Female 800m Freestyle Final: 1st F Lewis Loughborough 8:48.33 (commemorative) 1st C Custer Sundays Well 8:52.63 2nd C Stewart Bangor 9:15.76 3rd E Hand Bangor 9:18.50
Open 100m Freestyle Final: 1st E Bailey National Centre Limerick 48.94 2nd J Ward Bangor 49.54 3rd Matthew Hamilton Lisburn City 49.89
Female 100m Freestyle Final: 1st G Davison Ards 54.88 2nd D Hill Larne 55.92 3rd V Catterson National Centre Ulster 56.12
Open 200m Butterfly Final: 1st J Cassin National Centre Limerick 1:57.05 CR 2nd P Johnston National Centre Limerick 2:00.03 3rd S Donnellan UCD 2:01.47
Female 200m Butterfly Final: 1st E Walshe Templeogue 2:09.74 2nd A Burns Atkin National Centre Ulster 2:16.44 3rd E Leleux Swim Belfast 2:23.71
International Swimming Events Summer 2026
2026 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, Scotland, 24th – 29th July
Qualification Time Achieved: Grace Davison (100m Freestyle), Daniel Wiffen (1500m Freestyle)
Initial Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m 800m Freestyle), Ellie McCartney (200m Breaststroke, 200m IM), Danielle Hill (50m, 100m Backstroke),
*All swimmers with an initial qualification time will need to compete in the same individual event/s at the 2026 Irish Open Championships to assure the National Performance Director of competitive readiness and achieve the Consideration Time detailed in Table 2 here.
2026 European Aquatics Championships, Paris, France, 10th – 16th August
Qualification Time Achieved: Evan Bailey (100m Freestyle), Grace Davison (100m Freestyle), Jack Cassin (200m Butterfly), Matthew Hamilton (100m Freestyle), Daniel Wiffen (1500m Freestyle)
Initial Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m 800m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m Butterfly, 200m, 400m IM), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke), Ellie McCartney (200m Breaststroke, 200m IM), John Shortt (200m Backstroke), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle), Danielle Hill (50m, 100m Backstroke), Evan Bailey (200m Freestyle), Eoin Corby (100m, 200m Breaststroke)
*All swimmers with an initial qualification time will need to compete in the same individual event/s at the 2026 Irish Open Championships to assure the National Performance Director of competitive readiness and achieve the Consideration Time detailed in Table 2 here.
2026 European Para Swimming Championships, Kocaeli, Turkiye, 7th – 12th September
Qualification Time Achieved: Róisín NíRiain, Barry McClements, Dearbhaile Brady, Deaten Registe, Síomha Brady, Luke Brennan
2026 European Junior Aquatics Championships, Germany, 7th – 12th July
Qualification Time Achieved: Clare Custer (800m Freestyle)
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