Six Irish records set at Long Course event

SWIMMING’S Long Course Championships came to a close yesterday on a high note, with 13 swimmers achieving international qualifying times, four new Irish senior records and two new Irish junior records to round off a very successful weekend.

Barry Murphy (CRC) showed his talent in two sprint events, taking gold in the 50m Freestyle in a new Irish senior record time of 23.14, breaking the previous record set by Nick O’Hare in 1996.

Murphy went on to take the title in the 50m Breaststroke in a time of 29.12 and picked up his third gold medal of the day as the anchor man on the winning CRC Relay team.

A new Irish junior record in 200m backstroke was set by Melanie Nocher (City of Belfast), in a time of 2.19.56, breaking Niamh Cawley’s record which has stood since 1999.

There were more records in the relay events, and it was the turn of the Trojan senior men’s 4x200 freestyle relay, when they shaved half a second off the old record to put themselves on top in a time of 8.21.04. followed by the Bangor team.

The roles were reversed in the Women’s event, when the Bangor Ladies took the gold this time and also set a new Irish senior record of 8.53.34.

They were followed closely by the Trojan team, who took the silver and Irish senior, a new Irish junior record in a time of 8.55.54.

Youth Olympic consideration times were achieved by Sheena O’Byrne (New Ross), Chelsey Wilson (Enniskillen), Orla Ryan (Trojan), Fiona Doyle (Limerick), Jack Nunn (Wexford) and Karl Burdis (Portmarnock).

Burdis also made the Junior Europeans, as did Nuala Murphy of Trojan, Shane Ahearne and Clare Byrne of Templeogue.