Ireland’s Fiona Doyle was placed 13th in the 200m breaststroke semi-final at the European Swimming Championships in London - five short of making her second final of the week.
It’s been a busy week so far for the 24-year-old, who was swimming the semi-final less than 24 hours after claiming fourth in the 100m breaststroke final.
The Rio qualifier had progressed to tonight’s semi-final in 11th. The 200m is not her main event - she is a breaststroke sprinter - so making the last 16 of the longer distance was a bonus and after the first 50m of the second semi-final, Doyle was in touch with the leaders turning in fifth place,
However she lost touch after that as the medal favourite’s moved away from the Irish swimmer.
In the end Doyle had to be content with seventh in a race won by Spain’s Jessica Vall Montero [2.28.75], good enough for 13th place, five off progression.
“I figured it was going to take a best time for me to make the final,” said Doyle. "Looking at the results it was a lot faster than I predicted, but I’m happy with the swim. It’s the fourth time I’ve swam it this year so I’m pleased with the result.
"It’s definitely tough going from finals last night into heats this morning then semi-finals again tonight but it’s another chance to race and to prepare and get ready for the Olympics.”
Earlier today 15-year-old Sligo swimmer Mona McSharry - who trains at the Marlins Swimming Club in Ballyshannon, Donegal - also swam the 200m breaststroke heats but didn’t advance.
Curtis Coulter was the fastest of the three Irish swimmers in the heats of the men’s 100m freestyle in 49.59 seconds, but he along with Shane Ryan and Jordan Sloan didn’t make the semi-finals.
Coulter's time was just 0.10 of a second outside the Irish senior record held by Ryan Harrison, which was recorded at the 2009 World Championships in Rome using the now banned high tech body ‘shiny’ suits.
As a result of being faster than Ryan and Sloan, the Ards swimmer will now be on the anchor freestyle leg of the Irish men’s 4x100m medley relay on Sunday in London.
There are five Irish swimmers in action tomorrow as Sycerika McMahon goes in the heats of the women's 200m freestyle as Brendan Hyland competes in the men's 100m butterfly while Danielle Hill is in the women's 50m backstroke.
Two Irish swimmers Dan Sweeney and Alex Murphy are in heat action in the men's 50m breaststroke.
