Ellen Keane has won Ireland's first medal in the World Para Allianz European Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre.
Keane claimed the bronze medal in the 200 metres Individual Medley SM9 category. The 23-year-old finished behind Nuria Marques Soto of Spain and Britian's Tony Shaw who had denied Keane a medal in Thursday's 100 Backstroke final.
Keane, who is a breastroke bronze medallist from the 2016 Rio Paralympic games, had targeted at least two medals at the Dublin meet and will now go forward full of confidence to the 100 Breastroke on Sunday..
There was disappointment for Longford’s Patrick Flanagan and his large travelling support as he missed out on a bronze medal in the 400 metres Freestyle S6 by .24 of second to the Israeli Swimmer Yoav Valinsky
Flanagan was the second ranked swimmer into the final after the morning heats but had to work his way through the field in the final as he turned 6th after the first 50 metres.
By the last 50m Flanagan was up to fourth and in lane fire and began to hunt down Valinsky in lane one, but the wall came too soon as the Israeli held on, deflating the tricolour waving Irish supporters who had arrived in numbers to cheer the Irish swimmers in action this evening.
Dutch swimmer Thijs van Hofweegan took the gold, while Daniel Videira of Portugal the silver.
Sean O’Riordan was the first of Ireland’s finalists tonight. The Corkman went straight through to the final of the mens 100 metre backstroke S13 and finished eighth, setting a new personal best time.
The race was won by Ihar Boki who claimed his 13th European gold medal in total
Jonathan McGrath will be very pleased with his sixth placed finish in the mens S8 100 Freestyle final as he was ranked 8th coming into the decider and his finishing time of 1.07.43 was a new personal best by .70 of a second.
In the Women's S8 100 Freestyle final Ailbhe Kelly finished eighth in her third final of the week also in a new personal best time of 1.18.27.
James Scully competed in the mens 50 Freestyle S5 heats and was placed 10th overall and didn’t contest the final.
