Ireland's Ellen Walshe has won a sensational 200m butterfly gold at the European Short Course Championships in Lublin, Poland.
The Templeogue woman produced a storming finish in the last 25 metres to take victory, becoming the first Irishwoman to win a European short course title. She had already claimed silver in the 200m medley, and went in another final just 45 minutes later - the 400m individual medley, in which she finished seventh.
In the 200m fly, Walshe touched the wall in 2:03.24 ahead of Denmark's Helena Rosendahl Bach (2:03.55) and the Italian Anita Gastaldi (2:04.07).
Speaking after the race, Walshe still saw room for improvement, despite her gold. She said: "I think it was going to be a big race with the girl's tonight, it was a stacked field of fliers, so it was going to be about who had the better backend.
"You just have to hold on for the first 150m and then just try bring it home the last 50 and that's just what I did, I just kicked like hell.’
"I think you have to stick to your own process, which is so important to not race anyone else's race, I know the back end can be strong, the front end, it's definitely a weakness that I have, I need to get out quicker.
"It’s something I’m trying to work on it, but yeah, I probably need to be out a bit quicker with these girls and kind of help myself through the back end instead of like hurting so bad, but, yeah, it worked tonight, so it must work."
Team Ireland have now won seven medals at the meet.
Returning swiftly to the pool for the 400m IM final, Walshe remarkably threatened to get herself in the medal mix again, sitting in second place at the halfway point.
She was still second with 150m left, but Walshe’s exertions ultimately took a toll, and she faded in the last 100m to finish seventh.
Poland’s Justina Kozan thrilled the home crowd by winning gold in 4:28.56, with Spanish duo Alba Vazquez Ruiz (4:29.57) and Emma Carrasco Cadens (4:31.27) second and third respectively.
Elsewhere today, Ireland did not advance in the Men's 4x50m medley heat after finishing fourth. It was only the 15th fastest time of the three heats, with the eight fastest going through.
Ireland's time was 1:35:03, with Germany the fastest qualifier in 1:32:48, and Spain eighth in 1:33.18.
The team consisted of John Shortt, Eoin Corby, Jack Cassin and Evan Bailey.
