LAST UPDATE | 24 Jul 2021
IRELAND’S ELLEN WALSHE won her 100m Butterfly heat at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics — though won’t progress to the semi-finals.
Also making his Games debut, a fourth-place finish wasn’t enough for Darragh Greene to qualify from the 100m Breaststroke heats, though both will take huge positives from their respective bows.
Walshe, 19, was in impressive form as she clocked a time of 59.35 — which is just three hundredths of a second outside her own Irish record — in heat two, though it left her outside the top 16.
Her time was more than a second off the slowest qualifying time of 58.08, though her final 50m effort and underwater work are huge positives she will take forward — along with the fact she moved up two places from her pre-meet ranking of 26th, while going very close to a lifetime best time.
“It was a strong first swim for me, it’s just slightly off my PB,” she said afterwards.
“It would have been nice to get another Irish senior record but it wasn’t there, I felt strong, but you win some you lose some – I’m happy enough with the swim.”
#Swimming
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) July 24, 2021
Super swim from #TeamIreland’s Ellen Walshe to win her 100m Butterfly heat in a time of 59.35 🇮🇪👏🏻 just 0.03 seconds off the Irish Senior Record!!! #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/gp0sLJm0HJ
Officially classed in 24th place, the Templeogue swimmer will be in action once again in her main event, the Women’s 200m Individual Medley, on Monday.
Meanwhile, Longford man Greene came home in 60.30 in heat two of the 100m Breaststroke.
The 25-year-old, whose Irish senior record is 59.76, turned in fourth place, and picked up the pace from there to come back strong but his finish fell just short — and ultimately, he was outside the top 16 who progress to the semis, though held his ranking of 29th.
Just 20 of the 32 swimmers aiming to swim under 60 seconds managed it, with a world record expected to come in a highly competitive field.
Greene now focuses on the 200m Breastsroke, which takes place on Tuesday, though the 100m was his main event so that will be disappointing.
This is just the second international competition Irish swimmers have been able to contest since December 2019, their training and preparations for the Games really impacted by the pandemic.
As a Celtic fan I don’t believe we should fear anyone, we came within a last minute goal in Barça of actually beating them on aggregate over the 2 games. Has been a rollercoaster ride and anything from here on in is a bonus. The Bhoys can play with no fear now as they have already over achieved.
Hail hail Paul.
We’re the famous glasgow Celtic and we’re off to Wembley
Exact same draw as Rehearsal..
What’s that all about…?
The odds on that are astounding. 2,021,025:1 (15x13x11x9x7x5x3:1) if I’m not mistaken. That’s assuming that the order of the “first team” out for each draw didn’t matter only the second team pair with it.
great draw for Celtic. Mon the hoops
As a utd fan, I have a feeling its gonna be us v Real.
told ye so…
Hang on, this is the same as the rehearsal draw?????
Yeah tat struck me as odd , i wonder statistically what are the chances of the exact same draw happening two days in row from that many teams ??????
So they practiced the Draw yesterday and got it right today? Seriously freaky that the rehearsal is the same?.
i really should read the captions under pictures… i just text my friends saying Celtic v Juve. What was the point in a rehearsal draw??
omg u told the future :-P
he’s a witch burn him!!!!!
Interesting that 2 of Madrid, Barça, Man Utd and Milan won’t be in the 1/4 final draw….
‘Mon the Hoops, hope we get United!
United and Real was a tie that gave us one of the greatest games of football I have ever witnessed 11 years ago. I’m absolutley delighted!
Milan vs Barca is also another mouth watering prospect.
There seems to be some mistake though, I can’t see Chelsea anywhere…
they didnt meet 11 years ago, 2003 was the last time.. you’re just putting words together there, “mouth watering prospect” that’s tv language on sky you dont say that down the pub everyone would look at ya strange
My mistake Barry. My sincerest apologies. But while we’re chatting, perhaps I could give you some feedback. Did you know that generally in written English that capital letters are used at the start of a sentence? You may type them using your shift key.
Anyway try and cheer up, its nearly Christmas and it looks like we’re going to have a smashing round of 16!!!
Celtic v Man U would be a great game
Can 2 British teams draw each other?
Not until the 1/4 finals and onwards. Bloody typical, United win their group and get Madrid. Bring it on though. Ferguson should be checking out their league matches. Real have been pretty sketchy this season.
2 British teams could have drawn each other but 2 English couldn’t
But Celtic could not have been drawn with Arsenal
@ Aiden – only because both finished 2nd in their groups
5000/1 to be the same as yesterday!! Mad!
Hail Hail Celtic
Arsenal always seem to get screwed in the last 16 draw.
Might have made it easier for themselves if they won their group
That’s what I meant, sorry. Not a supporter.
on the other side of the coin.. maybe teams get lucky and draw arsenal every year
Why no coverage of the Europa league draw?
Porto v Malaga and Galatasary v Shalke, there will be two beatable teams in the quarters at any rate.
Porto has beaten PSG, Malaga has beaten Milan, Galatasaray has beaten ManU, and Schalke has beaten Arsenal at group stage. Therefore, PSG, Milan, ManU and Arsenal are also beatable, if there is such a criteria.
Man U could not get Milan because Barca and Madrid cant face each other…
Were PSG and Milan in same group earlier??
PSG and Milan in different groups. Porto and PSG were in the same group
United and PSG were still in the pot..!!! AC Milan finished 2nd in there group + could have been drawin against either of the 3 teams United,PSG and Barcalona..!!!
I am still trying to get an answer to that. No one seems to be able to figure it out.
It was to do with the fact that all the spanish teams were still left in the pot and although Milan were eligible to play other teams should that have happened Barca would have ended up with only Spanish options which isn’t allowed….. I think
Something to do with Barça, Madrid, Valencia & Malaga being unable to play each other as all Spanish and all still in the draw at that stage. The chances of the rehearsal being the same as the real draw were actually greater than you think when you take into account the fact same country teams can’t play each other and teams from the same group can’t either until the 1/4 finals.
Spot on Kev
Cheers Kevin.Hadnt spotted that..! Just seemed very odd then the guy doin the draw just said Barcalona were the only team they could play..! Didnt get explained to well at the time..! was kinda just dropped in..!
Can someone please explain how AC Milan could only play Barcalona..!!!???
Because one wasn’t seeded through other was…one won their group the others didn’t….ones Spanish the other Italian?
United and PSG were still in the pot..!!! AC Milan finished 2nd in there group + could have been drawin against either of the 3 teams United,PSG and Barcalona..!!!
luck of the draw i suppose