MAX MCCUSKER TOPPED the rankings in the A Final in the 100m Butterfly as the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials continued at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre today.

McCusker swam 52.43 this evening after breaking his own senior Irish record of with 51.90 earlier today. He set a previous record of 52.31 at the 2024 World Championships in Doha. Shane Ryan will be the second seed for the Super Final on Friday in 52.93 and Evan Bailey progresses in third.

Meanwhile, Tom Fannon became the latest Irish swimmer to achieve the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) bringing the list of Irish swimmers with the OQT to five.

Fannon came close to the OQT of 21.96 in this morning’s heats touching in 22.02. He then clocked 21.94 to book his seat to Paris while also taking one hundredth of a second off his own Irish and Championship Record of 21.95. The performance also saw the 26-year-old become Ireland’s fastest ever swimmer.

𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗

Electric morning here on the Sport Ireland Campus!

Max McCusker goes 51.90 in the 100 Fly to set a new Senior Record and Championship Record ⚡#IrishOpen2024 pic.twitter.com/fXcTXNLota

— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) May 23, 2024

“I’m over the moon, speechless I can’t lie,” Fannon said after his performance. “I’m so happy that I stuck to the process and the outcome took care of itself. I’m just happy to be on the plane to the Olympics this Summer.”

Grace Davison and Evan Bailey continued their onslaught on Ireland’s junior records with new standards in the 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly respectively. Both swimmers had set the current records in Thursday morning’s heats. In the 100m Freestyle, Ards’ Davison lowered her time of 55.88 to 55.44 and in the 100m Butterfly New Ross’ Bailey knocked .08 off his record of 53.47 to 53.39.

Nathan Wiffen was crowned National Champion over 800m after swimming a best time of 7:54.69, lowering his time of 7:56.40 from Wednesday’s heats. The Larne swimmer was once again under the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships in June. In second place Daniel Wiffen clocked 8:00.61 while bronze went to National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien in 8:28.43. 

𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗

Evan Bailey's 100 Butterfly Junior Record now stands at 53.39!

The New Ross man is on 🔥#IrishOpen2024 pic.twitter.com/v4iQ9F2uRr

— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) May 23, 2024

2024 Paris Olympic Games

Olympic Qualification Time Achieved: Daniel Wiffen (400m, 800m, 1500m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m IM), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke), Danielle Hill (100m Backstroke)

Women 4x100m Medley Relay, Men 4x100m Medley Relay*

* Two Olympic Qualification Times (OQT) are required from the team in order to confirm the Olympic place when invited

Super Final Results:

Men 100m Backstroke 1st C Ferguson Larne 53.99 2nd G Keogh Coolmine 55.97 3rd M Walsh Hussey NAC 56.24

Women 100m Backstroke 1st L Cullen National Centre Ulster 1:00.96 2nd J Macdougald UCD 1:02.67 3rd M Godden National Centre Limerick 1:02.91

Women 1500m Freestyle 1st E Carroll National Centre Limerick 17:35.60 2nd H McInerney Templeogue 17:44.66 3rd A Rock 17:57.37.

Men 800m Freestyle Final 1st N Wiffen Larne 7:54.69 2nd D Wiffen Larne 8:00.61 3rd D O’Brien National Centre Limerick 8:28.43

Women 200m Butterfly 1st A Burns-Atkin Banbridge 2:17.23 2nd E Bayley New Ross 2:26.07 3rd H Poynton Trojan 2:26.50

Men 200m Freestyle 1st F McGeever National Centre Limerick 1:49.36 2nd C Rynn National Centre Limerick 1:50.13 3rd G Quinn Longford 1:55.16

Women 200m Individual Medley 1st E McCartney National Centre Limerick 2:16.04 2nd J Macdougald UCD 2:20.71 3rd M Jones Portmarnock 2:22.85