Strong showing from Clare Cryan and Nathan Wiffen at European Aquatics Championships
Nathan Wiffen after competing in the Men's 800m Freestyle heats at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade. Photo: Nikola Krstic/Sportsfile
The 2024 European Aquatics Championships continued with yet another strong showing from Irish swimmers and divers in soaring temperatures with six from a possible eight progressing through the rounds on the second day of competition.
At the Serbian Institute of Sport, Clare Cryan was the first diver in action for Ireland on the 1m Springboard. Cryan scored a total of 205.85 points from five rounds to finish 11th and qualify for the final: her highest score coming from her first dive, an inward 1½ somersaults for 46.80 points.
Back at the Sports Centre Nathan Wiffen was on the blocks for the Men’s 800 Freestyle heat, in what was his first international appearance in a 50-metre pool. Wiffen came home second in his heat and ranked sixth overall in 7:54.60, a new personal best for the Loughborough swimmer, knocking nine hundredths of a second off his 7:54.69 from the Irish Open in May.
Today's Sports News in 90 Seconds - 18th June
For a second consecutive day an Irish relay team did enough to make it back for finals, this time it was the Mixed 4x100 Medley Relay including Lottie Cullen (Backstroke), Eoin Corby (Breaststroke), Jack Cassin (Butterfly) and Ellie McCartney (Freestyle) who combined for a time of 3:56.11, finishing in eighth overall securing a lane for the final.
John Shortt stepped onto the senior European long course stage for the first time this week, featuring in the Men’s 200m Backstroke Heat. Shortt, who currently holds the Irish Senior and Junior Records in this event (1:57.90) moved through the heat comfortably, finishing third and ensuring he made it back for the semi-final in eighth overall in a time of 1:59.15.
Shane Ryan and Oisin Tebite opened proceedings for Ireland, featuring in the Men’s 100m Freestyle. Ryan was second in his heat in 48.69, just behind former world record holder in the event David Popovici (47.90) of Romania, qualifying for tonight’s semi-final in eighth place. Ryan’s National Centre (Dublin) teammate Tebite clocked 52.22. Tebite will return to the pool on Saturday for the 50m Freestyle.
As temperatures reached 31 degrees, Irish duo Niamh Coyne and Ellie McCartney took to the blocks for the Women’s 100m Breaststroke heats. Coyne stopped the clock on 1:09.06 to advance through to the semi-final later today in 12th. McCartney was home 19th overall with a time of 1:09.53.
