Athlone swimming star wins national senior title
Robbie Powell secured the national 400m freestyle title at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin yesterday (Tuesday).
The Athlone man clocked a personal best time of 3:59.02 in the men’s 400m freestyle final, and he was the only one in the race to break the four-minute mark.
Powell finished ahead of second placed Nathan Wiffen (Larne, 4:00.81) and third placed Jack Fleming (Lisburn, 4:04.13).
Robbie started his swimming career with Athlone Swimming Club, where he was coached by his dad Johnny, and he now competes for the National Centre Dublin.
This is the first time since 2019 for Swim Ireland’s Irish Open Swimming Championships to take place. The five-day event sees almost 400 swimmers from 74 clubs compete for national titles in 34 individual events and places on seven Irish national teams.
A number of Ireland’s up and coming swimmers impressed on the opening day with qualification times met for the European Junior Championships and the European Youth Olympic Festival, while Danielle Hill continued her dominance as Ireland’s fastest ever female swimmer.
In addition to Powell and Hill, Grace Hodgins, Eoin Corby, Molly Mayne and Paddy Johnston (who won the 200m butterfly and 50m backstroke finals) also claimed national titles on the opening day.
Day 1 results
Men's 400m Freestyle Final: 1st R Powell (Athlone) 3:59.02; 2nd N Wiffen (Larne) 4:00.81; 3rd J Fleming (Lisburn) 4:04.13.
Women's 400m Freestyle Final: 1st G Hodgins (Trojan) 4:24.40; 2nd A Kane (Ards) 4:26.43; 3rd Ella Carroll (National Centre Limerick) 4:27.56.
Men's 100m Breaststroke Final: 1st E Corby (National Centre Limerick) 1:01.53; 2nd U Cooke (Tuam) 1:01.89; 3rd D Greene (National Centre Dublin) 1:02.08.
Women's 100m Butterfly Final: 1st M Mayne (Templeogue) 1:01.96; 2nd S Semchiy (Sundays Well) 1:03.07; 3rd E McKibbin (National Centre Ulster) 1:03.40.
Men's 200m Butterfly Final: 1st P Johnston (Ards) 2:00.00; 2nd L Custer (Sundays Well) 2:01.09; 3rd E Hansen (Trojan) 2:01.64.
Women's 50m Freestyle Final: 1st D Hill (Larne) 25.30 MR; 2nd E Riordan (National Centre Dublin) 25.59; 3rd G Davison (Ards) 26.97.
Men's 50m Backstroke Final: 1st P Johnston (Ards) 26.06; 2nd M Walsh Hussey (NAC) 27.31; 3rd J Shortt (Bluefin) 27.44.