It was mission accomplished for the World Junior champion Mona McSharry after she won the Women’s 100 metres breaststroke gold medal on the first day of the Swim Ireland Open Meet at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.
Not only did the 18-year-old Sligo swimmer take her first title of the week, she also qualified for this summer’s European Championships in Glasgow.
McSharry didn’t waste any time in making the European team as the Ballyshannon-based swimmer went under the required time in the morning heats, so although her gold medal-winning time of 1:07.80 seconds was slower that her heat time, she had earlier made the Irish team for Glasgow
She also swam in the final of the women’s 50 metres butterfly where she finished fifth behind Talia Bates of the USA (27.08) while the Men's event was won by Willie Davis of the USA in 23.65 seconds
Alex Murphy of UCD was under the European qualifying time for the Men's 100 metres breaststroke in the morning heats, but the former European Short Course (25 metre) bronze medallist was disqualified for an illegal turn, missing out on both Euro qualification and a place in the final.
The gold medal instead went to Darragh Greene, who swims out of the National Aquatic Centre, setting a new Irish senior Record of 1:00.61, and as a bonus, the 22-year-old also dipped under the European qualifying time to book his place on the plane to Glasgow in August.
Ironically it was Murphy’s record set in 2017 that Greene lowered by 0.48 seconds.
The Men's 400 metres freestyle was won by Bath swimmer Tom Derbyshire in a time of 3:51.54, holding off Bangor’s Jack McMillan who went out fast and led at the 100 mark but ultimately couldn’t keep pace with the English swimmer.
Derbyshire had to be content with silver. Spencer Walker of the USA took bronze.
The women’s 400 Freestyle was won by 14-year-old American Claire Tuggle, reckoned to be one of the brightest prospects in US swimming, and a major medal prospect at future Olympic Games.
Tuggle won easily in a time of 4:11.37, leading home a USA 1-2 with Lisburn’s Rachael Bethel the best of the Irish swimmers outside the medals in fourth place
The two 4x100 metre freestyle relays were heat declared winners, so they were decided in the morning swims.
The NAC swim team won the Men's gold medal in 3:25.28, while Kilkenny Swimming club won the women’s race in 3:59.05.
