Records tumble at National Aquatic Centre

There were four Irish senior records and yet another Irish qualifier for the world championships in Rome this summer on a terrific day’s swimming on day two of the Irish National Long Course championships at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) in Dublin, writes RTÉ Sport’s John Kenny.

Claire Dawson became the eleventh swimmer to make the Irish squad for the world championships in Rome when she broke the seven-year-old Irish record for the women’s 100 metres freestyle in a semi-final winning time of 56.63 seconds, which cut .34sec off the long-standing record held by Julie Douglas.

Andrew Meegan of Aer Lingus won the men’s 800 metre freestyle in 8:20.00, cutting 3.38 seconds off his own Irish senior record, while Stephen McQuillan of Ards cut the merest .001sec off his own Irish best, in the men’s 50metres butterfly in a time of 24.69 seconds.

The NUI Maynooth Devils men’s squad obliterated the 4x200 freestyle Irish record, taking over nine seconds off the previous mark with a time of 7:43.52.

Grainne Murphy of Limerick, the youngest ever Irish swimmer to make a world championship team, won the women’s 400 metres individual medley gold and her winning time of 4:47.52 ensured she will compete in Italy this summer.

Other gold medallists included Colm Dowling of Waterford who won the men’s 100 metres backstroke, while Tara Dunne of Dolphin won the women’s equivalent.