John Shortt (file photo.) Andrea Staccioli/INPHO

Shortt rounds out stunning week in pool with another world junior gold medal

Shortt won a third medal – and a second gold – on the final day’s action in Romania.

THE SENSATIONAL JOHN Shortt claimed a second world junior title, this time in the 200m backstroke, on the final day of the World Aquatics Junior Championships in Romania. 

Eighteen-year-old Shortt won gold in the 100m and bronze in the 50m backstroke events earlier this week, and he rounded out the event in style by dominating the stroke across 200 metres, finishing fully two seconds ahead of his closest rival in a new Irish senior record of 1:56.19.

That new record smashes the existing 1:56.61, set by Shortt at the Irish Open in April. 

‘It’s been a long season, but to end it on such a high with a big PB, I couldn’t be happier”, said Shortt. “Having my family, my coaches, my teammates here, it’s just been amazing, and I’ve loved every bit of it.

“I’m very glad to get away with the gold and a new senior record and junior record, I’m pretty proud of that.

“The first 100 I was like ‘this is cool’, ‘this is great’, and the last 50 I was like ‘Ow this really hurts, please make it stop’, but then I was at the wall and I finished and I realised I’d won and was like, ‘Class.” 

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