Limerick Swimmer Eoin Corby Achieves Personal Best at Championships

Eoin Corby, a swimmer from Limerick, achieved a new personal best during the opening day of the European Aquatics Championships held in Lublin, Poland. Competing in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke heats, Corby clocked a lifetime best of 58.34 seconds, making him the fastest Irish swimmer in this event. Despite his impressive performance, Corby finished ranked 29th, which was not enough to advance to the next round.

In the 400m Freestyle, Denis O’Brien from Mungret also showcased his skills, finishing the race with a time of 3:52.91. This result placed O’Brien in 53rd position in a competitive field. Notably, Daniel Wiffen marked his return to racing with a remarkable performance, securing the top seed for the final with a time of 3:37.04.

Record-Breaking Performance by John Shortt

Another standout performance came from John Shortt, a former student of Castletroy College. He continued his record-breaking form by winning his heat in the 200m Backstroke with a time of 1:50.65. Just a week prior, Shortt had set the current Irish Senior and Junior Record at 1:51.37. His latest result earned him a place in the semi-final, where he advanced as the fourth fastest overall.

Reflecting on his performance, the 18-year-old swimmer expressed satisfaction with his heat. “It’s nice to get in, first one, shake the nerves off a small bit and see where we’re at,” he said. He added, “I thought it felt really good as I was swimming it, so we’ll see how we go tonight.” Looking ahead to the semi-final, Shortt stated, “Be faster. That’s always the aim, and you know I’d love to get down near the 1:49 range maybe. That would be a serious swim, but we’ve got to recover well now and get back at it tonight.”

As the championships progress, the performances of these young swimmers highlight the growing talent within Irish swimming, setting a hopeful tone for future competitions.