July 29, 2022
Northern Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen and Victoria Catterson got their Commonwealth Games underway this morning with outstanding swims in the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham.
Wiffen was first up in the 400m Freestyle Heat. Swimming in heat two, the 21-year-old broke his own Irish Record of 3:48.75, touching in first place in 3:47.43. After three heats, Wiffen was the fastest performer and advances to this evening’s Final (7pm) as the top seed.
Catterson, swimming the 200m Freestyle, broke a 25-year-old Irish Record belonging to Michelle Smith, and progresses to the Final seventh overall. The previous record, set in 1997, stood at 1:59.93, Catterson clocked 1:59.86 to become only the second Irish woman to go under the two-minute mark.
Also, in finals action this evening, will be Barry McClements in the Men’s 100 Backstroke S9.
Other athletes making their Birmingham debuts this morning were Bethany Firth who was 18th overall in the 200m Freestyle touching in 2:08.34. The Paralympic Champion’s main event will come next Wednesday (3rd August) in the S14 200m Freestyle. Grace Davison, arriving straight from the European Youth Olympic Festival in Slovakia and having competed at the European Junior Swimming Championships earlier in the month, posted a time of 2:10.00 for 19th overall in the 200m Freestyle. While Kaitlyn McCaw, swimming the 100m Butterfly clocked 1:02.60.
Commonwealth Games Day 1 Results
Men 400m Freestyle Daniel Wiffen 3:47.43 (1st) ISR
Women 200m Freestyle Victoria Catterson 1:59.86 (7th) ISR
Bethany Firth 2:08.34 (18th)
Grace Davison 2:10.00 (19th)
Women 100m Butterfly Kaitlyn McCaw 1:02.60 (24th)
Commonwealth Games Day 1 Finals
Men 400m Freestyle Daniel Wiffen 19.07
Women 200m Freestyle Victoria Catterson 19.25
Men 100m Backstroke S9 Barry McClements 19.48
