ELLIE MCCARTNEY HAS secured the consideration time for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore following her performance in the 200m Breaststroke semi-final on the penultimate night of racing at the 2025 Irish Open Swimming Championships.
The 20-year-old came into the meet with a best time of 2:26.07, and clocked 2:24.35 to go well under the consideration time of 2:25.91 for the Singapore Championships.
McCartney now has consideration times for the European U23 Championships, World University Games and World Championships and is Ireland’s second fastest ever 100m and 200m female breaststroke swimmer behind Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry.
“I’m over the moon,” the Enniskillen native said after the race. “I never imagined to be 2:24, I thought it was going to be a push to make that A standard time but tonight I just wanted to give it my all, anything that was left in the tank from this week, just finish on a high.”
McCartney also raced in the final of the 100m Breaststroke on Monday night where she was edged out by McSharry.
“The 100 last night, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to race Mona, she wasn’t at last year’s Irish Open, so I just want to make the most of an opportunity, I love going out and racing and to get anywhere close to Mona for me it’s mind blowing, it’s something I’ve always wanted to achieve, she pushes me and she inspires me.”
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Meanwhile, Ellen Walshe became the first Irish woman to go under 1:59 in the 200m Freestyle as she clocked 1:58.88 in the semi-final to progress as top seed to Wednesday’s final. She previously set a new Irish record of 1:59.31 in the morning heats. The Templeogue swimmer is still to compete in her main event, the 400m Individual Medley, where she is an Olympic Finalist, on Wednesday morning.
Elsewhere, National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen claimed the first hardware of the day in the Female 200m Backstroke Final. After achieving the consideration times for the European U23 Championships and World University Games, she completed the backstroke double by adding to the 100m gold she won on Sunday. Cullen touched in 2:14.67 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Maria Godden (2:17.08) and Banbridge’s Annabelle Wilkinson (2:18.39). Commemorative gold went to Germany’s Gabriela Georgieva in 2:13.07.
Ellie McCartney on her way to the 2025 World Aquatics ‘A’ Standard Time 🚀
Swim Belfast’s Brandon Biss won the the final of the men’s 200m Backstroke in 2:01.16, also securing a consideration time for the European U23 Championships. Silver went to New Ross’ Emmet Cousins in 2:04.80 and bronze to Bangor’s Brydan Byrne in 2:04.81.
Alana Burns-Atkin claimed her second gold medal of the week in the 100m Butterfly final with a personal best 1:00.70 to add to the 200m Butterfly title she won on Tuesday night. National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien took silver in 1:02.49 with New Ross’ Eva Bayley completing the podium in 1:03.89.
National Centre Ulster’s Adam Colgan won his first national title by topping the podium in the open 200m Individual Medley in 2:06.52. Germany’s Tobias Van Aggelen touched the wall in 2:07.50 to take silver ahead of Irish silver medallist Tom Wilkinson of Banbridge in 2:08.08. Bronze went to Templeogue’s Baltazar Allende in 2:10.93.
Eoin Corby secured a consideration time in the 200m Breaststroke semi-final for the World University Games. He will be top seed for Wednesday’s Final after a semi-final swim of 2:12.30 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (2:18.71) and Bangor’s Adam Bradley (2:18.99).
Larne’s Danielle Hill won her 50m Freestyle semi-final in 25.22. In joint second overall National Centre Dublin’s Rosalie Phelan and Ards’ Grace Davison clocked 26.13, Davison securing her third consideration time for the European Junior Championships.
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin will be the fastest Irish swimmer in Wednesday’s 200m Butterfly Final. Cassin, who clocked 2:01.15 is the reigning Irish Champion in the event and a win in Wednesday’s Final would see him claim three titles in a row in the event.
The final heats session of the Irish Open Championships on Wednesday morning will feature female and open races in the 400m Individual Medley, 50, Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly.
Irish Open Swimming Championships Day 4
F 200m Backstroke Final: 1st G Georgieva Germany 2:13.07 (commemorative) 1st L Cullen National Centre Ulster 2:14.37 2nd M Godden National Centre Limerick 2:17.08 3rd A Wilkinson Banbridge 2:18.39
O 200m Backstroke Final: 1st B Biss Swim Belfast 2:01.16 2nd E Cousins New Ross 2:04.80 3rd B Byrne Bangor 2:04.81
F 100m Butterfly Final: 1st A Burns Atkin National Centre Ulster 1:00.70 2nd L O’Brien National Centre Limerick 1:02.49 3rd Eva Bayley New Ross 1:03.89
O 200m IM Finals: 1st A Colgan National Centre Ulster 2:06.52 2nd T Van Aggelen Germany 2:07.50 (commemorative) 2nd T Wilkinson Banbridge 2:08.08 3rd B Allende Templeogue 2:10.93
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McCartney secures World Championships time as Walshe lowers own Irish record
ELLIE MCCARTNEY HAS secured the consideration time for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore following her performance in the 200m Breaststroke semi-final on the penultimate night of racing at the 2025 Irish Open Swimming Championships.
The 20-year-old came into the meet with a best time of 2:26.07, and clocked 2:24.35 to go well under the consideration time of 2:25.91 for the Singapore Championships.
McCartney now has consideration times for the European U23 Championships, World University Games and World Championships and is Ireland’s second fastest ever 100m and 200m female breaststroke swimmer behind Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry.
“I’m over the moon,” the Enniskillen native said after the race. “I never imagined to be 2:24, I thought it was going to be a push to make that A standard time but tonight I just wanted to give it my all, anything that was left in the tank from this week, just finish on a high.”
McCartney also raced in the final of the 100m Breaststroke on Monday night where she was edged out by McSharry.
“The 100 last night, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to race Mona, she wasn’t at last year’s Irish Open, so I just want to make the most of an opportunity, I love going out and racing and to get anywhere close to Mona for me it’s mind blowing, it’s something I’ve always wanted to achieve, she pushes me and she inspires me.”
Meanwhile, Ellen Walshe became the first Irish woman to go under 1:59 in the 200m Freestyle as she clocked 1:58.88 in the semi-final to progress as top seed to Wednesday’s final. She previously set a new Irish record of 1:59.31 in the morning heats. The Templeogue swimmer is still to compete in her main event, the 400m Individual Medley, where she is an Olympic Finalist, on Wednesday morning.
Elsewhere, National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen claimed the first hardware of the day in the Female 200m Backstroke Final. After achieving the consideration times for the European U23 Championships and World University Games, she completed the backstroke double by adding to the 100m gold she won on Sunday. Cullen touched in 2:14.67 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Maria Godden (2:17.08) and Banbridge’s Annabelle Wilkinson (2:18.39). Commemorative gold went to Germany’s Gabriela Georgieva in 2:13.07.
Swim Belfast’s Brandon Biss won the the final of the men’s 200m Backstroke in 2:01.16, also securing a consideration time for the European U23 Championships. Silver went to New Ross’ Emmet Cousins in 2:04.80 and bronze to Bangor’s Brydan Byrne in 2:04.81.
Alana Burns-Atkin claimed her second gold medal of the week in the 100m Butterfly final with a personal best 1:00.70 to add to the 200m Butterfly title she won on Tuesday night. National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien took silver in 1:02.49 with New Ross’ Eva Bayley completing the podium in 1:03.89.
National Centre Ulster’s Adam Colgan won his first national title by topping the podium in the open 200m Individual Medley in 2:06.52. Germany’s Tobias Van Aggelen touched the wall in 2:07.50 to take silver ahead of Irish silver medallist Tom Wilkinson of Banbridge in 2:08.08. Bronze went to Templeogue’s Baltazar Allende in 2:10.93.
Eoin Corby secured a consideration time in the 200m Breaststroke semi-final for the World University Games. He will be top seed for Wednesday’s Final after a semi-final swim of 2:12.30 ahead of National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (2:18.71) and Bangor’s Adam Bradley (2:18.99).
Larne’s Danielle Hill won her 50m Freestyle semi-final in 25.22. In joint second overall National Centre Dublin’s Rosalie Phelan and Ards’ Grace Davison clocked 26.13, Davison securing her third consideration time for the European Junior Championships.
National Centre Limerick’s Jack Cassin will be the fastest Irish swimmer in Wednesday’s 200m Butterfly Final. Cassin, who clocked 2:01.15 is the reigning Irish Champion in the event and a win in Wednesday’s Final would see him claim three titles in a row in the event.
The final heats session of the Irish Open Championships on Wednesday morning will feature female and open races in the 400m Individual Medley, 50, Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly.
Irish Open Swimming Championships Day 4
F 200m Backstroke Final: 1st G Georgieva Germany 2:13.07 (commemorative) 1st L Cullen National Centre Ulster 2:14.37 2nd M Godden National Centre Limerick 2:17.08 3rd A Wilkinson Banbridge 2:18.39
O 200m Backstroke Final: 1st B Biss Swim Belfast 2:01.16 2nd E Cousins New Ross 2:04.80 3rd B Byrne Bangor 2:04.81
F 100m Butterfly Final: 1st A Burns Atkin National Centre Ulster 1:00.70 2nd L O’Brien National Centre Limerick 1:02.49 3rd Eva Bayley New Ross 1:03.89
O 200m IM Finals: 1st A Colgan National Centre Ulster 2:06.52 2nd T Van Aggelen Germany 2:07.50 (commemorative) 2nd T Wilkinson Banbridge 2:08.08 3rd B Allende Templeogue 2:10.93
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ellen walshe Ellie McCartney Irish Open Swimming Championships Swimming