Hugh wins bronze at nationals

Seven swimmers from the Ennis Swimming and Lifesaving Club recently competed at the Division 1 National Championships, which were held at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.   
The sole medal winner of the group was Hugh McMahon.  Swimming in the boys’ 13 age group, Hugh put in a well-paced swim and came home with the bronze medal in the 1,500m freestyle in a time of 19:27.74.  Hugh also swam in the 100m and 200m freestyle and posted times of 1:04.66 and 2:21.81. 
In the girls’ 11-12 age group Róisín Cahill had strong swims in her 200m backstroke, finishing in 2:58.12 and the 200m freestyle in 2:36.98. 
In the girls’ 14 age group, Lily Barrett was the most consistent of the Ennis swimmers, making the finals in all five of her events and established personal bests in each of them.  In the preliminary heat of her 200m individual medley, Lily posted a time of 2:37.52.  In the finals she upped that to 2:36.55, which was good for a sixth place finish.  Next up was the 400m freestyle, which was swam as a straight final and once again she came sixth, with a time of 4:52.99.  Her preliminary heat of the 100m freestyle was swam in 1:04.63, with the finals in 1:04.52 and ninth place.  In the 100m breaststroke, she swam her preliminary heat in 1:26.33 and had an eighth place finish in the final with a time of 1:2560.  In the preliminary of the 200m freestyle she qualified with a time of 2:20.77 and in the finals she finished eighth in a time of 2:20.59. 
In the boys’ 13 age group Rory McEvoy qualified for five events and had made the finals in the 100m backstroke finishing in a time of 1:12.58 and the 100m butterfly in a time of 1:12.97.  In both events he finished ninth and established personal-best times. Rory finished the 200m individual medley in 2:4408, the 100m freestyle in 1:09.77 and the 200m freestyle in 2:21.86.  Dara Gleeson put in some good swims, finishing the 200m individual medley in 2:50.62, the 100m freestyle in 1:0637 and the 200m freestyle in 2:24.80.  In the boys’ 14 age group Ryan Shannon  qualified for the 200m freestyle and finished with a time of 2:23.42. 
The boys’ 15 age group was represented by Stephen Rooney, who qualified in three events.  He swam the 200m individual medley in 2:46.35, the 400m freestyle in 4:49.36 and the 1,500m freestyle in 18:33.24.