Hill Strikes Silver in Stormy Belgrade; Walshe Posts New Irish Record in Rome
As lightning caused havoc in Belgrade, Danielle Hill thundered home to a sensational silver medal on the penultimate night of racing in the 2024 European Aquatic Championships.
Hill showed no signs of being phased in stormy conditions to fire home in 1:00.19 to secure silver in the 100m Backstroke. The Larne swimmer backed up her golden performance from Thursday to take her second senior medal of her career. Hill was pipped to the gold in a titanic battle with Poland’s Adela Piskorska by just 0.40 of a second.
Speaking in the mixed zone, Hill said: “It’s special after what has been a crazy night, we were just happy to get in the water and I knew tonight was going to be who wanted it more and put their hand on the wall first. Credit to Adela that she got her hand on the wall; I think it’s a massive personal best for her. Listen, it wasn’t to be tonight, but I can’t be disappointed with the silver medal.’
Speaking on the weather conditions, Hill added: “I’ve had to deal with that before out in the gold coast at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, it was the 100 Backstroke semi-final. It was a bit nervy at times, but I got in the water and got the job done.”
With Paris on the horizon Hill said: “I’m super excited, it’s kind of weird I don’t think anyone looks forward to training but at this stage I can’t wait to get back in the water. I’ve got things that need to be worked on but it’s a great place to be five weeks out.’
Lastly, Hill touched on representing Ireland: “It’s really special, I haven’t had the best couple of summers with the Irish hat on but to get back out here and be on the top is great. I can’t speak highly of the team, it’s a young team here but man they don’t seem like they haven’t been here before. They have been all incredible, the energy is contagious, and it has showed for me in the pool.”
In the same race, 19-year-old Lottie Cullen finished fifth in Europe with a time of 1:01.03, her first individual final at a senior international event. The National Centre (Ulster) swimmer closed out her magnificent week with one final (100 Back) and two semi-finals (200 Back, 50 Back).
As the lighting and rain worsened, competition paused which meant Irish pair Shane Ryan and Calum Bain had to wait to stand back on the blocks for the 50m Freestyle Semi-Final. Ryan, who advanced from the heat with a newly minted senior record, took to the centre lane after coming out of the heat swim fastest (21.82). Ryan was in and out of the pool in 21.96 seconds to secure a final place in fourth.
Speaking after the race, Ryan said: “I did my job this morning, this is a fun event for me as it’s just my second time doing it in two years, I was enjoying the moment with Calum. I will rest up, I feel very relaxed now, and have fun, it’s the European Championships and I’m swimming fast, that’s the main thing.”
Calum Bain stood on the blocks beside his National Centre (Dublin) teammate in lane three for tonight’s 50m Freestyle Semi-Final, Bain went 22.12 to place ninth, agonizingly close to making the final with 22.10 last to make it through.
Bain said: “It was a great experience, I’m a little bit disappointed with the result, as first reserve for the final, but look I did the best I could.”
Ellie McCartney closed out her excellent week with a European eighth in the 200m Medley Final, clocking 2:14.09 to set a new personal best.
McCartney said: “It was an exciting race, it was all over the place with lighting but it’s nice to progress through the rounds quicker each time, and it’s good to get a PB in the end after a long week in the pool. I think coming out here I wanted to prove a point that I’m not just a junior swimmer and that I can contribute to the team at a senior level, to come away making three finals I can come away satisfied knowing I made that point.”
Conor Ferguson continued to perform impressively as he progressed into the 100m Backstroke final with a sixth-place finish, touching the wall in 54.12. However, the Loughborough swimmer will not context the final as he travels home on Sunday.
Ferguson said: “Happy enough, especially with the conditions tonight, it was a bit of a crazy one tonight. It was another good time and positive swim.’
The Men’s 1500 Freestyle fell victim to the weather conditions which meant Nathan Wiffen would have to wait one more day to race. The final was set to get underway with all swimmers preparing to stand on the blocks only to be asked to stand down due to worsening conditions and the higher risk factor of the swimmers being in the pool for the longer distance event. The final will now take place tomorrow evening at 5:10pm.
The final day of racing at the 2024 European Aquatic Championships will see Nathan Wiffen racing in the postponed 1500m Freestyle Final and 400m Freestyle heat, Cormac Rynn will also compete in the latter, while Shane Ryan swims the 50m Freestyle Final.
Walshe Posts New Irish Record in Rome
Ellen Walshe claimed an outstanding gold medal in a new Irish Record in the 400m Individual Medley as she continued her preparations for Paris in Rome. Walshe, competing against World and Olympic medallists in the A Final, had set the standard at 4:37.94 just three weeks ago at the Irish Open and Olympic Trials. On Saturday, the Templeogue swimmer powered home in 4:37.18 having led throughout the race.
Speaking after the race Walshe said ‘I’m delighted with that swim, it’s a great race before going into Paris, it gives me a lot of confidence. I think coming in tonight I was against the best in the world, so I knew I was going to have to be pretty quick through the front end. The backstroke is my weakest stroke, so I was just trying to stay on the lane line with the sun in my eyes.’ She added ‘I’m really surprised with that time. I knew going out in front of the field I was going to put myself in a difficult position to finish it, I think I just used my skills on the back end, my underwaters and I was able to get in front of the field, so yeah I’m delighted with it.’
Daniel Wiffen, who is just off a training camp and in the midst of heavy training as he prepares for Paris was third in the 800m Freestyle in 7:46.83.
The European record holder in the event spoke after the final ‘I’m actually happy with that time, I think I did a good race strategy, to be fair on any other day I might have won, but we don’t know who’s tapered and who’s not here, so I’m pretty happy with the time and happy I got a medal.’
Both Walshe and Wiffen return to the pool on Sunday for the final day of racing in Rome. Walshe will compete in the 200m Individual Medley heats while Wiffen swims the 1500m Freestyle with the fastest heat going in the evening session. Max McCusker, who made the 100m Butterfly A Final on Friday, swims the 50m Butterly, Erin Riordan will be in the 50m Freestyle Heats and Victoria Catterson competes in the 200m Backstroke.
Day 6 Results – European Aquatics Championships
Women 200 Medley Final Ellie McCartney H 2:16.66 (6) SF 2:14.37 (8) F 2:14.09
Men 50 Freestyle Shane Ryan H 21.82 (1) ISR SF 21.96 (4)
Calum Bain H 22.11 (5) SF 22.12 (9)
Oisin Tebite H 23.58 (66)
Women 100 Backstroke Final Danielle Hill H 1:00.62 (1), SF 1:00.52 (2) F 1:00.19 (1)
Lottie Cullen H 1:02.54 (10) SF 1:01.19 F 1:01.03 (5)
Men 1500 Freestyle Final Nathan Wiffen H 15:10.01 (4)
Men 100 Backstroke Semi-Final Conor Ferguson H 54.74 (6) SF 54.12 (6)
Women 50 Breaststroke Niamh Coyne H 32.52 (33)
Day 7 Schedule
Men 400 Freestyle Nathan Wiffen, Cormac Rynn
Men 1500 Freestyle Final Nathan Wiffen
Men 50 Freestyle Final Shane Ryan
Day 2 Results – Sette Colli International
Women 100m Butterfly Ellen Walshe – 59.40 (8) Q
Women 400m IM Ellen Walshe – 4.44.95 (5) Q, F 4:37.18 (1st) ISR
Women 100m Freestyle Erin Riordan – 57.80 (63)
Victoria Catterson – 56.50 (35)
Men 50m Breaststroke Darragh Greene – 28.15 (12) Q
Men 800m Freestyle Daniel Wiffen – 7:46.83 (3rd)
Day 3 Schedule – Sette Colli International
Women 50m Freestyle Erin Riordan
Women 200m Backstroke Victoria Catterson
Men 50m Butterfly Max McCusker
Women 200m IM Ellen Walshe
Men 1500m Freestyle Daniel Wiffen
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