IRELAND’S ELLEN WALSHE, Shane Ryan and Danielle Hill have all progressed from heats to semi-finals at the World Swimming Championships on an impressive morning for the national team in Budapest.
Walshe sealed another Irish record during her heat, while Jack Cassin also equalled the Irish record in the 200m Butterfly on his debut at the Worlds.
Templeogue’s Walshe earned her fifth Irish record in just three days in the 100m Individual Medley. Walshe, 23, had swam a yardstick 59.30 in November and took almost half a second off that time to finish second in her heat in 58.85. She advanced to the semis in eighth overall.
“I’m delighted with that,” Walshe said following her heat. “As we were all saying in the call room, it’s just such a fun one, you don’t have time to think about it, it just changes so quickly. So, yeah, it was a bit of fun, it’s not a main event or anything, a bit of speed.”
Walshe added of tonight’s semi: “I’m used to racing a longer distance in the IM, so it’s a bit more effort coming into that. It felt like I was forcing it so much, so hopefully tonight I can be a bit more relaxed and just go out there and enjoy it.”
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Shane Ryan also picked up where he left off after setting a new national record in the 100m Freestyle on Wednesday. The National Centre Dublin swimmer was one of only three swimmers under 23 seconds in the 50m Backstroke heats, clocking 22.98. Ryan, 30, was second in his heat and goes into Thursday evening’s semi-final as third seed.
“I think that’s my best morning swim, especially after all day yesterday, so happy with that and we just try and progress on and just have fun,” Ryan said.
In the Women’s 50m Backstroke heats, Danielle Hill was just shy of her own Irish record (26.33) as she finished third in her heat with a time of 26.67. The Larne woman will be the 13th seed entering the semis.
Hill said following her heat: “I think first two days pretty tough, and I’m not really too disappointed because it was where I was. I texted Peter (Hill, coach) and I was brutally honest that we hadn’t done the work and that was totally fine. You know, we’d just come off the back of an Olympic Games and a European Championships which totally changed my swimming outlook, so yeah, the work wasn’t there for the 100m.
“Happy to get the hand on the wall in that 50m and now we go through the processes and see what we can do again tonight.”
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin made his World Championships bow in impressive fashion, equalling Brendan Hyland’s 2018 Irish record of 1:53.19 in the 200m Butterfly.
The 20-year-old shaved more than two seconds off his previous personal best of 1:55.21. Cassin finished fourth in his heat and 16th overall.
“I’m so happy, honestly,” he said. “I didn’t really expect to go that time. I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to be over here in Budapest.
“I mean, I think it’s a completely different scene. Europeans in Belgrade definitely felt like a higher-up competition, but this just feels like a whole other level so I’m happy to tap into that and give it my best shot and represent my country over here.”
Cassin will return for the 400m Individual Medley on Saturday.
Closing the show for Ireland during the Thursday morning session was Nathan Wiffen in the 400m Freestyle. The Loughborough swimmer swam his second-best time ever in the event, coming home in 3:44.05, just shy of his 3:43.69 PB. Wiffen was fifth in his heat and will return in Saturday’s 800m Freestyle.
“It really took it out of me,” he said of his heat. “I actually miscounted by 50m and I was like, ‘Oh no — I’ve another 50m!’ But I’m happy enough with it.”
Walshe, Ryan and Hill advance to semi-finals at Worlds
IRELAND’S ELLEN WALSHE, Shane Ryan and Danielle Hill have all progressed from heats to semi-finals at the World Swimming Championships on an impressive morning for the national team in Budapest.
Walshe sealed another Irish record during her heat, while Jack Cassin also equalled the Irish record in the 200m Butterfly on his debut at the Worlds.
Templeogue’s Walshe earned her fifth Irish record in just three days in the 100m Individual Medley. Walshe, 23, had swam a yardstick 59.30 in November and took almost half a second off that time to finish second in her heat in 58.85. She advanced to the semis in eighth overall.
“I’m delighted with that,” Walshe said following her heat. “As we were all saying in the call room, it’s just such a fun one, you don’t have time to think about it, it just changes so quickly. So, yeah, it was a bit of fun, it’s not a main event or anything, a bit of speed.”
Walshe added of tonight’s semi: “I’m used to racing a longer distance in the IM, so it’s a bit more effort coming into that. It felt like I was forcing it so much, so hopefully tonight I can be a bit more relaxed and just go out there and enjoy it.”
Shane Ryan also picked up where he left off after setting a new national record in the 100m Freestyle on Wednesday. The National Centre Dublin swimmer was one of only three swimmers under 23 seconds in the 50m Backstroke heats, clocking 22.98. Ryan, 30, was second in his heat and goes into Thursday evening’s semi-final as third seed.
“I think that’s my best morning swim, especially after all day yesterday, so happy with that and we just try and progress on and just have fun,” Ryan said.
In the Women’s 50m Backstroke heats, Danielle Hill was just shy of her own Irish record (26.33) as she finished third in her heat with a time of 26.67. The Larne woman will be the 13th seed entering the semis.
Hill said following her heat: “I think first two days pretty tough, and I’m not really too disappointed because it was where I was. I texted Peter (Hill, coach) and I was brutally honest that we hadn’t done the work and that was totally fine. You know, we’d just come off the back of an Olympic Games and a European Championships which totally changed my swimming outlook, so yeah, the work wasn’t there for the 100m.
“Happy to get the hand on the wall in that 50m and now we go through the processes and see what we can do again tonight.”
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin made his World Championships bow in impressive fashion, equalling Brendan Hyland’s 2018 Irish record of 1:53.19 in the 200m Butterfly.
The 20-year-old shaved more than two seconds off his previous personal best of 1:55.21. Cassin finished fourth in his heat and 16th overall.
“I’m so happy, honestly,” he said. “I didn’t really expect to go that time. I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to be over here in Budapest.
“I mean, I think it’s a completely different scene. Europeans in Belgrade definitely felt like a higher-up competition, but this just feels like a whole other level so I’m happy to tap into that and give it my best shot and represent my country over here.”
Cassin will return for the 400m Individual Medley on Saturday.
Closing the show for Ireland during the Thursday morning session was Nathan Wiffen in the 400m Freestyle. The Loughborough swimmer swam his second-best time ever in the event, coming home in 3:44.05, just shy of his 3:43.69 PB. Wiffen was fifth in his heat and will return in Saturday’s 800m Freestyle.
“It really took it out of me,” he said of his heat. “I actually miscounted by 50m and I was like, ‘Oh no — I’ve another 50m!’ But I’m happy enough with it.”
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