At the World University Games overnight, Longford’s Darragh Greene advanced to the 50m Breaststroke semi-final in 27.87 seconds, his first time under 28 seconds. Brendan Hyland was close to his Irish record (54.26) in the 100m Butterfly touching in 53.49 seconds, Conor Brines went 53.75 and in the 200m Backstroke Heats University of Limerick’s Rory McEvoy clocked 2:06.23 with David Prendergast home in 2:09.81.
The Longford swimmer will now go in the 50m Breaststroke semi-final at World University Games at 1.30pm while today’s heats (2.30pm) at the World Junior Championships will see Ellen Walshe compete in the 200m Butterfly, Jack McMillan in the 200m Freestyle and Walshe, joined by McSharry, Ferguson and Robbie Powell in the Mixed 400m Medley Relay.
Following a Gold medal win for Shane Ryan in the pool at World University Games yesterday, Ireland’s junior swimmers Mona McSharry and Conor Ferguson kept Ireland trending in the swimming world with impressive displays on the opening day of competition at the World Junior Championships in Indianapolis, both advancing to finals in their respective events.
McSharry, the current European Junior Champion in the 50m and 100m Breaststroke, let her intent for the week be known in last night’s 50m Breaststroke semi-final as she dashed to the top spot for tonight’s final. The Sligo native, who turned 17 this week, had entered the semi-final in third place in 31.41 seconds, she then secured the centre lane for the final in 31.09. McSharry holds the Irish Record in the event in 30.91 seconds.
Just minutes later Conor Ferguson dominated his semi-final of the 100m Backstroke, the 17-year-old lead from start to finish in the race winning out by eight tenths of a second over American Drew Kibler (55.37) in 54.53 seconds. The result puts Ferguson ranked second for tonight’s final behind Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez (54.43) and ahead of Romania’s Daniel Martin (54.62).
Finals at the World Junior Championships take place from 11pm tonight with Ferguson first up at 11.02pm and McSharry competing at 11.21pm.
Also in semi-final action last night at the World Juniors, National Centre Dublin and Tallaght swimmer Niamh Coyne clocked 32.56 seconds in the 50m Breaststroke semi-final for 14th place overall.
World Junior Championships
Day 1 Results
Wednesday 23rd August
400m Freestyle Jack McMillan H 4:00.01 (26th)
50m Breaststroke Mona McSharry H 31.41 (3rd) SF 31.09 (1st)
Niamh Coyne H 32.36 (14th) SF 32.56 (14th)
100m Backstroke Conor Ferguson H 54.95 (1st) SF 54.53 (2nd)
400m IM Ellen Walshe H 4:58.38 (20th)
Day 2 Schedule (Heats 2.30pm/Finals 11pm)
200m Butterfly Ellen Walshe
200m Freestyle Jack McMillan
400m Medley Relay Ireland (Mixed)
50m Breaststroke Final Mona McSharry
100m Backstroke Final Conor Ferguson
World University Games
Day 5 Results
200m Backstroke David Prendergast H 2:09.81 (35th)
Rory McEvoy H 2:06.23 (28th)
100m Butterfly Conor Brines H 53.75 (25th)
Brendan Hyland H 53.49 (19th)
50m Breaststroke Darragh Greene H 27.87 (7th)
Day 5 Schedule (Finals 12pm)
50m Breaststroke SF Darragh Greene
