BOTH IRISH 4x100m medley relay teams broke national senior records, but missed out on qualifying for their respective swimming finals at the 2024 Olympic Games.
The men’s and women’s quartets both finished sixth in their heats — after other teams were disqualified — and 11th overall at La Défense Arena in Paris.
Conor Ferguson, Darragh Greene, Max McCusker and Shane Ryan clocked a time of 3:33.81.
Ryan produced a superb freestyle leg to touch the wall in seventh, but the Irish team were upgraded to sixth after Spain were disqualified.
“’It was good to get national senior record for the team as a whole,” Ferguson told reporters afterwards.
“I think my lead-off leg just wasn’t good enough, if I’m being honest. I think if I was a bit better we would have been in that final, so I’m disappointed in myself but I’m delighted for the team.”
“The most important thing and the hardest thing was just getting ourselves here, and we definitely did that,” three-time Olympian Ryan added.
“At the big meets we really want to come in and swim faster. We got the record there, and it was an honour to represent Ireland again.”
USA won the heat in 3:31.62, while France went faster in the earlier one in a time of 3:31.36.
Danielle Hill, Mona McSharry, Ellen Walshe and Grace Davidson followed suit with a time of 4:00.12.
Olympic bronze medallist McSharry put Ireland in contention with a stunning breaststroke effort.
Like Ryan, 16-year-old Davidson touched home in seventh — but Ireland were bumped up to sixth after Italy were disqualified — as another record fell.
“I’m super happy, really proud of the girls,” McSharry reflected. “We all got up here on the second last day and performed. It was so much fun and everyone brought really good energy this morning, which was nice.”
“We went out there and gave it absolutely everything we could have possibly dreamed off to get an Irish senior record to finish the week,” said Walsh.
Defending champions Australia won the first heat in 3:54.81, while Canada triumphed Ireland’s in a time of 3:56.10.
- With reporting from Sinead O’Carroll in Paris
Good performance. Good to break record
@john kenny: Good commentary john keep it up
Ray Ridge as predictable as always. Racing to this thread to have a pop but nowhere to be seen on the thread where Wiffen qualified. Speaks volumes about the type of person Ridge is. I’m assuming you are a low achiever in life that’s hers their kicks out of persistently putting down others who have achieved far more than you could ever dream up. Good man.
@anthony davoren: it’s not about having a pop, I’m just stating the reality of the situation. Of course it’s an achievement in itself and well done to them all. Now stop with the constant obsession.
It’s an eye opener really. Irish athletes are setting Irish records but still being tailed off in heats etc. Just goes to show the gap that’s between our best and the world’s best. Bar the 2 or 3 medalists obviously.
@Ray Ridge: I really admire your consistency, but you really don’t have a clue. Most of these athletes just want to make the Olympics. Their olympic dream is just to make it to a games. I grew up running 1500m, and if I snuk inside the qualifying time by 0.1 of a sec, are you saying I should not go? Just stop the negativity. What you’re saying is that the top 8 in the world should qualify and just have finals at the games. To be an olympian is something special. But you would never understand that. Fait play to all the Irish athletes who qualified with strict and tough times.
@Ray Ridge: both Irish teams are ranked 11th in the world after those 2 races! The mens team finished 1s behind the Italian team that had 2 gold medallists in it. Considering Ireland has historically had no pedigree in world swimming I’d say these games have been an absolute triumph & we seem to have one of the biggest stars in the entire meet. I suppose its all about perspective
@Ray Ridge: oh and what do you mean 2 or 3. We already have 6 athletes going home with medals and guaranteed 7 so far. Please stop your negativity.
@munsterman: Granted the swimming has been a success relatively speaking but I’m chatting about the Olympics as a whole. Track and field events mostly. We won’t mention the rugby or boxing anymore!!
@Ray Ridge: we’re getting a medal in the boxing
@munsterman: Ya, but it’s way below expectations. Let’s call a spade a spade.
@Ray Ridge: ah yea but no medal would be the huge disappointment. Before the boxing started I couldn’t see any of the men winning one & maybe 2 of the women
@munsterman: maybe 3 of the women, orourke & moorhouse had a bit of pedigree
@munsterman: True, but I didn’t see them all getting knocked out in the 1st bout either. Hopefully, Kelly can get gold and wiffen and maybe Rhys also. The concern is on the track and field.
@Ray Ridge: the last track and field medal Ireland won was with Sonia. Before that it was Ronnie delaney in the 1950s. Any kind of medal for Ireland is extraordinary and as rare as hens teeth!
@Ray Ridge: the concern is not athletics. We’re not expected to win any medals in athletics. Adeleke and Mageean should make the final and hopefully get a medal, but the 400m is alot tougher this year than it was at the world’s last year. It will be tough for her to medal but you’d never know.
Trivia time Ray, when is the last athletics medal ireland won? And before that? And before that? It’s not as if we win athletics medals every games, so as others have said a bit of perspective, please.
@Kevin Dillon: That’s the very point I’m making. But why is the question I guess I’m asking. We have all these centre of excellence set up and more resources than ever before put into athletics, well at least that’s what we are lead to believe. But as your history lesson proves, we seem to befurther away than ever. We are even struggling to make impressions in heats now. I’m not chatting about medals per say. Ought to be better or am I being unfair?
@Kevin Dillon: Medal foe Adeleke would be an amazing achievement for as you’ve said it’s super competitive. If she makes the final Im predicting she’ll finish anywhere from 3rd. to 5th.
@Ray Ridge: yep between 3rd and 5th would be an amazing result.
@Ray Ridge: you must be fun to live with
@Ray Ridge: getting boring now do we need 100 medals to make u happy allways negitive yet its going to be are best olympics by a mile and you didnt come on when we got gold medals to say well done sums u up really
@Ray Ridge: told ya yesterday we most likely get one medal atleltics mayby 2 but we have a lot now and still could have more with rory leona horse jumping swimming again and hopefully rhys today even do i cant watch it im afraid he fall
@Kevin Dillon: someone should tell rte ben healy leading whatever happens great stuff
@Square: Amazing effort by Ryan Mullen out front but yes Healy leading the olympic rode race now. Still think they’ll be caught and van de poel, van aart or Remco to win.
Got to love Ben Healys determination though.
@Square: omg the atmosphere at the top of montmartre are something else. Amazing scenes.
@Kevin Dillon: and Mcilroy Roared into 6th. An exciting final days golf as well.
@Kevin Dillon: shane mayby to far back for a medal but you never know rory well placed be good watch tommorry so many irish fans
@Kevin Dillon: its so beautifull
@Kevin Dillon: yes he be caught id say
But he allways trying