ELLEN KEANE POWERED to bronze in the 200m Individual Medley final to pocket Ireland’s first medal at the 2018 European Paraswimmimg Championships in Dublin this evening.
The Rio 2016 medalist added another massive honour to her collection at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) to get the hosts off the mark on the silverware front.
Dubliner Keane finished third in her SM9 heat this morning and booked her final spot ranked fourth with a time of 2:59.29.
And this evening she touched home at 2:40.64 to roars from excited home support.
“Emotionally, the hardest race I’ve ever had to do because I knew I was capable of winning a medal but it was just kind of trying to stay focused as I was racing,” she told Paralympics Ireland, beaming from ear-to-ear afterwards.
IRELAND HAVE THEIR FIRST MEDAL!!!! WAAAHOOO ☘️🇮🇪💪🏼 Ellen Keane takes bronze!! #Dublin2018 pic.twitter.com/YqJTysNQE7
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) August 17, 2018
“I would have liked to have swam faster but for me to finally be able to get a medal for Ireland means the world and to give the crowd what they wanted (was great).
“I came here to win two medals and that’s the plan. Tomorrow I’ve a day off and Sunday it’s a straight final so far. So yeah, that’s what I’m looking forward to now.”
Her favourite 100m Breastroke event is on Sunday.
BRONZE 🥉 what a swim from @keane_ellen she’s come home to Irish roars in 2:40.64 for our first medal of #Dublin2018 🇮🇪☘️ pic.twitter.com/MU3q2g7f2v
— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) August 17, 2018
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