Max McCusker sets a new Irish record in 100m butterfly at Irish Open as he aims for Olympic time
Max McCusker of Dolphin Swimming Club competes in the men's 100m butterfly heats during day two of the Ireland Olympic Swimming Trials at the National Aquatic Centre on the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
The 2024 Irish Open and Olympic Trials continued today in the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre with a number of outstanding performances on the second morning of the five-day competition.
Max McCusker set a new Irish senior record and championship record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 51.90. McCusker broke his own senior record of 52.31, which he set at the 2024 World Championships in Doha. The time was also a new championship record that had been held by Brendan Hyland since 2018 (52.62). McCusker will be aiming for the Olympic qualification time of 51.67 later this evening.
Swimming next to McCusker in the 100m butterfly, Evan Bailey set a new Irish junior record, his second in as many days. Bailey lowered his own junior record of 54.22 set in 2023 to 53.47.
The opening event of the day saw Darragh Greene set a new championship record of 59.91 in the 100m breaststroke. Greene is the Irish record holder in the event in 59.76 and will need a 59.49-second swim this afternoon or tomorrow to achieve the Olympic qualification time.
Today's Sports News in 90 Seconds - 23rd May
In the 50m freestyle heats, Tom Fannon came agonisingly close to the Olympic qualification time of 21.96. The National Centre Dublin swimmer stopped the clock in 22.02 and needs to find just six-hundredths of a second to secure the OQT in this afternoon’s A Final.
McCusker, Bailey, Greene and Fannon all secured consideration times for the European Aquatics Championships in Serbia in June.
Danielle Hill, who achieved the Olympic qualification time in the 100m backstroke on Wednesday, was back in the pool this morning for the heats of the 100m freestyle.
Hill was the fastest qualifier into this afternoon’s ‘A final in 55.87. Right behind Hill, touching in 55.88, 16-year-old Grace Davison set a new Irish junior record of 55.88. The Ards swimmer broke her own record of 56.01 set earlier this month.
Niamh Coyne progresses as the fastest swimmer in the 100m breaststroke after she was the only swimmer under the 70-second mark in the 100m breaststroke heats, clocking 1:08.99.
Also, in action this evening, Daniel and Nathan Wiffen return for the 800m final, where Nathan will be looking for the OQT of 7:51.65 and Conor Ferguson has another opportunity at the OQT in the 100m backstroke.
