December 19, 2021
Ireland’s Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay team have advanced to Sunday afternoon’s Final at the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) with an Irish Senior Record-setting swim. This is the first time since 1993 that an Irish relay team has featured in a World Championships Final.
They will be joined on the schedule by Danielle Hill in the 50m Backstroke Semi-Finals and Mona McSharry in the 100m Breaststroke Semi-Finals.
Taking place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, the Championships are world swimming’s finale of 2021 and the culmination of the short course (25m pool) season.
Jack McMillan, Robbie Powell, Finn McGeever and Jordan Sloan stormed through their Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay heat to finish second in 7:02.35, smashing an incredible 21 seconds off the Irish Senior Record in the process.
Three of this team – McMillan, McGeever and Sloan – also set a new Irish Senior Record in this event in the long course (50m pool) format at the LEN European Aquatics Championships in May - the performance earned Ireland their first ever spot in a Men’s Olympic swimming relay event, and a first Olympic swimming relay of any kind in 49 years.
The Final for the Irish quartet takes place at 15:58 Irish time, having qualified in sixth position. Their efforts bring the total tally of Irish Senior Records at this meet to eight.
Danielle Hill and Mona McSharry make Semi-Finals
Earlier Mona McSharry made her third Semi-Final of the week when swimming 1:04.59 to finish second in her 100m Breaststroke heat. This is the event in which McSharry became Ireland’s first Olympic finalist in 25 years at Tokyo 2020 and she goes into the Semi-Final in second position overall.
Niamh Coyne also swam in the 100m Breaststroke heats, swimming 1:06.44. This was her first event at these Championships and it was a solid effort given that she found herself racing alone with two empty lanes beside her. She will hope for better fortune in Tuesday’s 200m Breaststroke heats.
Opening the day for Ireland, Danielle Hill returned to form in the 50m Backstroke, qualifying in 13th for the Semi-Finals with 27.17. Her lifetime best is the Irish Senior Record of 26.74 and she will be hoping to get closer to that on Sunday afternoon. The Semi-Finals start at 15:19 Irish time.
Calum Bain, from Tyrone and based at Stirling University in Scotland, finished his first World Championships with a lifetime best in 50m Butterfly. He shaved 0.13 off his previous best touching in 23.46 to finish 34th overall.
Bain also formed part of the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay on Thursday which set a new Irish Senior Record of 3:12.94, and equalled his lifetime best time of 21.61 in the 50m Freestyle heats on Saturday.
All the action can be followed via fina.org.
Records
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay – 7:02.35
Jack McMillan, Robbie Powell, Finn McGeever, Jordan Sloan
Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – Heats: 3:12.94
Calum Bain, Brendan Hyland, Jack McMillan, Jordan Sloan
Mona McSharry's Irish Senior Record Swims in Abu Dhabi
50m Breaststroke Semi-Final - 29.65
50m Breaststroke Final - 29.59
100m Individual Medley - 59.65
100m Individual Medley – 59.35
Ellen Walshe’s Irish Senior Record Swims in Abu Dhabi
400m Individual Medley Heats – 4:30.78
400m Individual Medley Final – 4:26.52
Results
Sunday Morning Heats Results:
50m Backstroke – Top 16 go to Semi-Final
Danielle Hill – 27.17 – 13th
50m Butterfly – Top 16 go to Semi-Final
Calum Bain – 23.46 – 34th
100m Breaststroke – Top 16 go to Semi-Final
Niamh Coyne – 1:06.44 – 18th
Mona McSharry – 1:05.59 – 2nd
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay – Top 8 go to Final
Jack McMillan, Jordan Sloan, Finn McGeever, Robbie Powell
- 7:02.35 – 6th
Schedule
Sunday Afternoon Finals Session Schedule
15:19 Danielle Hill – 50m Backstroke Semi-Final
15:48 Mona McSharry – 100m Breaststroke Semi-Final
15:58 Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay FINAL – Jack McMillan, Jordan Sloan, Finn McGeever, Robbie Powell
Monday Morning Heats Schedule – Starts 05:30
Ellen Walshe – 200m Individual Medley
Ellen Walshe – 100m Butterfly
Danielle Hill - 50m Freestyle
Jack McMillan – 100m Freestyle
Daniel Wiffen – 1500m Freestyle
Tuesday Morning Heats Schedule – Starts 05:30
Mona McSharry & Niamh Coyne – 200m Breaststroke
*All times are Irish. Abu Dhabi = +4hrs
Find the full Irish schedule at Swim Ireland FINA World SC Swimming Championships 2021
Swim Ireland Team
2021 FINA World Championships (25m)
Abu Dhabi, UAE | December 16-21
Calum Bain - University of Stirling, Scotland - Coach: Bradley Hay
Niamh Coyne - National Centre (Dublin) - Coach: Ben Higson
Danielle Hill - Larne Swimming Club - Coach: Peter Hill
Brendan Hyland - National Centre (Dublin) - Coach: Ben Higson
Finn McGeever - National Centre (Limerick) - Coach: John Szaranek
Jack McMillan - National Centre (Ulster) - Coach: Davy Johnston
Mona McSharry - University of Tennessee, USA - Coach: Matt Kredich
Robert Powell - National Centre (Dublin) - Coach: Ben Higson
Jordan Sloan - National Centre (Ulster) - Coach: Davy Johnston
Ellen Walshe - University of Tennessee, USA - Coach: Matt Kredich
Daniel Wiffen - Loughborough University, England - Coach: Andi Manley
