Irish swimmers got the 2017 European Short Course Swimming Championships off to a fine start in Copenhagen today with Alex Murphy and Mona McSharry advancing to semi-finals, each in the 50m Breaststroke. This, alongside a new Irish senior record from Jordan Sloan were the highlights of the first morning of action.
Touching in 26.66 in the 50m Breaststroke, Murphy, who trains at the National Centre (Dublin), goes into the semi-final in 14th place. A bronze medallist in the 2015 edition of the event, his time this morning was just off his previous medal winning time and Irish Record of 26.35. Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli set a new Championship Record of 25.90 in the event to claim the top seed for the semi-final.
After a tremendous final year at junior level, Mona McSharry stepped up to senior level by making her first senior international semi-final this morning in the 50m Breaststroke. McSharry, who is European Junior Champion in the event clocked in 30.80 to progress. The 17-year-old holds the Irish Senior Record in the event in 30.19 seconds and will be looking to get closer to that time this afternoon to progress to the final.
The 50m Breaststroke Semi-Finals will take place from 4pm (Ireland) with Murphy up first followed by McSharry. The top eight in each will progress to tonight’s Finals at 5.13pm (Ireland).
Coming off the Swim Ulster Long Course Championships just three days ago, with a nomination time for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Bangor’s Jordan Sloan set a new Irish Senior Record in the 400m Freestyle. Sloan touched 10th overall with an impressive time of 3:43.21, breaking his own record set at the World SC Swimming Championships in 2016. The swim will give the 24-year-old great confidence going into tomorrow’s 200m Freestyle, his main event.
Brendan Hyland knocked almost a second off his best time in the heats of the 100m Butterfly. The National Centre (Dublin) swimmer clocked 52.20 to finish second in his heat while Conor Brines touched in 52.97. In the 50m Breaststroke Darragh Greene finished in a best time of 27.65 with Nicholas Quinn home in 28.44. Danielle Hill was to finish in 1:02.46 in the 100m Backstroke while Conor Ferguson completed the first morning session for Ireland with a top-twenty position in the 200m Backstroke in 1:55.84.
Day 1 Heats: Results (Wednesday 13th December)
100m Butterfly Conor Brines H 52.97
50m Breaststroke Mona McSharry H 30.80 (16th)
50m Breaststroke Alex Murphy H 26.66 (14th)
400m Freestyle Jordan Sloan H 3:43.21 ISR
100m Backstroke Danielle Hill H 1:02.46
200m Backstroke Conor Ferguson H 1:55.84
Day 1 Semi Finals/Finals Schedule
50m Breaststroke Alex Murphy 4pm
50m Breaststroke Mona McSharry 4.08pm