Seventeen Irish Swimmers Set for European Challenge

Seventeen Irish swimmers have travelled to Otopeni, Romania this week to compete at the 2023 European Aquatics Championships (25m). Competition gets underway on Tuesday, with the 6-day event taking place at Olympic Complex, Otopeni from 5^th – 10^th December. The team has been selected to provide both senior and junior athletes to benefit from international racing prior to the long course season commencing.

Daniel Wiffen, ranked number one the world at this point in the season in the 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle will spearhead the team alongside 2021 World Short Course Championships silver medallist Ellen Walshe. Familiar names such as Shane Ryan and Danielle Hill also feature as part of the team.

For the first time, twins Daniel and Nathan Wiffen will compete on an Irish team together, whilst juniors John Shortt, Ellie McCartney and Grace Davison will be familiar names from recent European Junior and Commonwealth Youth Games campaigns.

With a World Championships on the horizon in February and the Paris Olympic Games in July, some athletes, including Mona McSharry, Darragh Greene and Conor Ferguson have opted not to compete on this occasion in favour of the training pool.

The opening day of competition will see thirteen Irish swimmers in action. Ellen Walshe opens proceedings in the 400m Individual Medley, followed by Daniel and Nathan Wiffen in the 400m Freestyle. Irish Senior Record Holder Danielle Hill, alongside Erin Riordan, Victoria Catterson and Irish Junior Record holder Grace Davison will swim the heats of the 50m Freestyle.

Shane Ryan and John Shortt will compete in the 50m Backstroke, an event in which Ryan was a bronze medallist in 2019. Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist Ellie McCartney swims the 100m Breaststroke, while Max McCusker, Evan Bailey and Dylan Registe are entered in the 100m Butterfly Heats.

National Performance Director Jon Rudd, Team Leader for Ireland at the Championships said, “There’s a lot to look forward to for Irish swimming fans across the six days of competition in Romania, particularly when you look at some of the names that feature as part of this team. Our junior athletes will learn so much in this environment and our established seniors will have an excellent chance to progress through the rounds, check where they are at prior to the long course season commencing and, in some cases, challenge for podium positions. There is no doubt that this will be well worth keeping eyes upon!”.

Rudd will be leading the Irish coaching team at the Championships, with Steven Beckerleg (National Centre Dublin), John Szaranek (National Centre Limerick), and Fran Ronan (New Ross Swimming Club) formulating the remainder of the coaching team.

2023 LEN European SC Swimming Championships (Otopeni, Romania)

Day 1 – Tuesday 5^th December l Heats – 7.30am (IRL)

Women’s 400m Individual Medley           Ellen Walshe

Men’s 400m Freestyle                               Daniel Wiffen, Nathan Wiffen

Women 50m Freestyle                              Erin Riordan, Danielle Hill, Victoria Catterson, Grace Davison

Men 50m Backstroke                                Shane Ryan, John Shortt

Women 100m Breaststroke                      Ellie McCartney

Men 100m Butterfly                                 Max McCusker, Evan Bailey, Dylan Registe

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