New world champ Shortt through to second final as he awaits Leaving Cert results

The Galway teenager will be looking to add 50m backstroke glory to his 100m exploits in Romania but Friday will be tense for other reasons too

Thu, 21 Aug, 2025 - 18:57

Staff

World Junior 100m backstroke champion John Shortt is through to his second final at the World Aquatics Junior Championships in Otopeni, Romania, this time in the 50m backstroke.

The 18-year-old who on Wednesday night won gold to become only Ireland’s second World Junior Champion progressed in seventh overall after a lifetime best swim of 25.36 in Thursday evening’s semi-final.

The National Centre Dublin swimmer had advanced to the semi-final in 25.60 from this morning’s heats and will now swim his second final in Romania on Friday, the same day the Galwayman will receive his Leaving Certificate results.

"I’m very happy with that 50 back tonight, very happy to get into that Final as well," Shortt said after the race. "It’s going to be a very very close final, I’ll be in an outside lane which will be a nice experience, but hopefully I can have a bit of outside smoke and try and surprise the boys a bit in the middle, and a pb as well, so can never complain about that."

The Men’s 50m backstroke final will take place on Friday at 4.23pm with the 100m backstroke silver medallist, Georgii Iakovlev, the top qualifier in 24.58.