Day 1
The first day of the 2024 Irish National Age Group Championships got underway today in a packed pool at the University of Limerick Sports Arena.
The first medals of the week were up for grabs in the 200 Mixed Medley Relay event with Lisburn taking the Silver medal in a time of 2:25.36, and bronze going to Portadown (2:26.36).
In the 400 Mixed Medley Relay (13-14 yrs) event, Banbridge touched in a time of 4:40.58 to take the silver medal between Trojan (Gold) and Aer Lingus (Bronze).
In the Boys 1500 Freestyle (13-14 yrs), Dara Hynes (Portadown) came home second (19:00.33) with third going to Logan Wiggins (19:30.32) of Bangor. Harry McGlashan of Luran was first home in the 14yrs race in 18:14.80.
The Girls 100 Breaststroke event opened Thursday evening’s proceedings with the 12 yrs on the blocks first with a packed stand cheering them on. Chloe Stewart of Bangor claimed the national gold in a time of 1:26.71, and in second place and claiming silver was Ella Moore of Portadown in 1:28.34.
The 13 yrs age group silver and bronze medals went to Portadown swimmers Ella Kanis-Dickson (1:19.80) and Orlagh Todd (1:24.53).
In the 14 yrs, second place silver medal was awarded to Grace Eyre (1:16.60) of Bangor, with Coolmines and Sundays Well swimmers completing the rest of the podium taking home the Gold and Bronze.
The Boys 400IM 14 yrs national final, Cian Doyle (Lurgan) was home in second place (5:04.64) to claim silver, while bronze went to Shea Mathers (5:06.85) of Banbridge.
Next up on the blocks was the finalists for the Girls 200 Freestylewith the 12 yrs up first, the bronze medal and third place went to Chloe Stewart (2:24.79) of Bangor.
Rebecca Lavery of Bangor was first to stop the clock in the 13 yrs event in a time of 2:16.21 to claim national honours.
The Boys 200 Freestyle was next up, Luka Griffin of Cookstown came home first in 2:18.39 to win the 12 yrs national gold. Eoghan McQuillan (2:21.94) of Lisburn was next home to claim silver, while bronze went to Bradley Walker (Portadown) in 2:22.39.
Dara Hynes of Portadown was crowned 13 yrs national champion in 2:11.33.
As the first evening drew the noise ramped up as the Girls 200 Backstrokeheaded to the pool. Olivia Falls (Bangor) was home in 2:44.31 to take second spot on the podium.
Rebecca Lavery of Bangor topped the podium in the 13 yrs race in a time of 2:34.53, winning the national gold. Carmen Biss of Swim Belfast was next home in 2:35.83 to pick up silver.
The Boys 100 Breaststroke was the final event of the evening with the 12 yrs heading to the blocks first. Luka Griffin of Cookstown claimed the 12 yrs gold in a time of 1:21.61.
The penultimate race of the evening was won by Caolan Doran of Limavady, picking up the the 13 yrs national gold medal in 1:19.16. Fionn Walker of Banbridge was next on the podium in 1:20.68.
The14 yrs race closed out the evening as Cian Doyle of Lurgan touched the wall first to win gold in 1:13.21. Riley Brown (Ballymena) followed closely behind in 1:14.04 while Evan Houston (Larne) was in third in a time of 1:14.16.
Day 2
Bangor claimed the Girls 400 Freestyle Relay national silver in 4:24.29. Bangor once again visited the podium in the 12yrs 200m Freestyle Relay as Chloe Stewart, Aoife Boal, Iris Kirwan and Olivia Falls stopped the clock on 2:08.71 to win gold. Banbridge were next home in 2:11.38 to claim silver.
Eoghan McQuillan of Lisburn claimed the first gold on offer this evening, clocking 2:37.80 in the 12yrs Boys 200 Backstroke. McQuillan was then shortly followed by Bradley Walker (Portadown) in 2:45.02 to claim bronze.
Banbridge swimmer Shea Mathers (2:22.99) was next to touch the wall and win the 14yrs 200Backstroke national silver.
There was a change of ends as the Girls 50 Freestyle took to the blocks. Chloe Stewart (29.89) of Bangor was the only swimmer to go sub-30 seconds on her way to the 12yrs gold. Third place for the event went to Hollie Jennings (30.09) of Banbridge.
The Boys 50 Freestyle took to the University of Limerick pool next. Cookstown’s Luka Griffin (28.51) went under the 30-second mark to take top spot on the podium. Portadown’s Bradley Walker claimed second in 30.08.
Keir Donaghy of Mid Ulster won the national silver (25.44), while bronze went to Riley Brown (25.64) of Ballymena.
The atmosphere ramped up as the Girls 100 Butterfly entered the pool to a loud roar. Olivia Falls of Bangor went quickest to win the 12yrs national gold in 1:09.84. Bronze went to Olivia’s teammate Chloe Stewart (1:17.16) of Bangor.
Rebecca Lavery of Bangor was crowned national champion in the 13yrs category in a time of 1:08.16. Mila Pickett (Ards) was next home, posting a time of 1:10.06.
Cookstown swimmer Eimear O’Neill was second to stop the clock (1:08.81) and collect the 14yrs national silver medal.
The Boys 100 Butterfly was the penultimate event of the evening with the 12yrs up first. Portadown swimmer Bradley Walker claimed the national gold in 1:11.89. Eoghan McQuillan (Lisburn) picked up silver with 1:13.00.
In the 13yrs, Portadown’s Dara Hynes was first to touch the wall in 1:06.54, winning the national gold.
The Girls 200 IM brought day two of racing to a close. Bangor swimmers Chloe Stewart (2:45.18) and Olivia Falls (2:47.30) claimed the second and third spots on the podium.
In the 13yrs, Rebecca Lavery of Bangor was first home in a time of 2:36.20 to win the national gold. Ella Kanis-Dickson of Portadown went 2:37.24 to pick up silver, with bronze claimed by Mila Pickett (2:37.26) of Ards.
Day 3
The penultimate day of the 2024 Irish National Age Group Championships took place today in a full house at the University of Limerick Sports Arena.
A Bangor girls’ team, including Aoife Boal, Chloe Stewart, Olivia Falls, and Iris Kirwan, won the Girls’ 200 Medley Relay(12 years) gold in 2:27.23.
In the Boys’ 400 Medley Relay (13-14 years), the silver medal was awarded to Lisburn claimed second place in 4:40.22.
In the Girls’ 400 Medley Relay Bangor (5:01.17) claimed the second spot on the podium.
The Boys’ 800 Freestyle headed to the blocks this afternoon to battle it out for national honors. Dara Hynes of Portadown was second home in 9:26.20 to win the national silver.
Lurgan’s Harry McGlashan was next home in 14 yrs 800 Freestyle touching in 9:35.79 to win bronze.
Saturday night’s action kicked off with the Boys’ 100 Freestyle first on the schedule. Luka Griffin (Cookstown) was the first swimmer to take a trip to the podium this evening following his win in the 12-year-old race, in a time of 1:02.31. Portadown’s Bradley Walker clocked 1:04.68 to finish second, with third claimed by Eoghan McQuillan (1:06.14) of Lisburn.
Dara Hynes (Portadown) and Lev Lobanets (Dolphin) went stroke for stroke in the 13-year-old final, with Hynes touching first in 1:00.79 to win gold, just 0.06 ahead of Lobanets (1:00.85).
In the 14-year-old race, Keir Donaghy (56.66) of Mid Ulster placed third in the final resulting in him picking up the bronze.
The electric atmosphere continued as the Girls’ 400 Freestyle took a trip to the blocks. In the 13-year-old race, Bangor swimmer Rebecca Lavery went 4:51.00 to win the national gold medal. Finishing in second place was Mila Pickett of Ards in 4:54.11.
Callum Brown of Portadown took the bronze medal home after touching the wall in a time of 3:16.02 in the 12-year-old Boys’ 200 Breaststroke.
Fionn Walker (Banbridge) battled it out for the 13-year-old national gold in a closely fought race. However, he was narrowly edged out by his competitor as Walker touched in a time of 2:51.45. In third place, picking up bronze, was Logan Wiggins (2:53.01) of Bangor.
Cian Doyle of Lurgan was first home to win the 14-year-old national gold in a time of 2:36.47. Silver went to Larne’s Evan Houston, stopping the clock at 2:39.79. Limavady swimmer Shane Fyfe was next home in 2:40.08, picking up bronze.
The backstroke ledges were in the pool as the Girls’ 100 Backstroke was next up on the schedule. The 12-year-old national gold went to Olivia Falls of Bangor in a time of 1:15.40.
In the Boys’ 100 Backstroke 12-year-old race, Lisburn City swimmer Jack Shannon was first to touch the wall in 1:14.06 to win the national gold medal.
Following closely behind first place was Banbridge swimmer Shea Mathers (1:06.11) to secure the silver, while Coleraine’s Campbell Smyth went 1:06.78 to claim third spot on the podium.
The Girls’ 200 Breaststroke closed out day three of the competition. Ella Moore of Portadown went 3:09.29 to win the 12-year-old national gold. Maisy Donnelly (Lurgan) finished closely behind in 3:09.71.
There was another Portadown swimmer on top of the podium, this time it was Ella Kanis-Dickson in the 13-year-old race, clocking 2:49.50.
The 14-year-old competitors went stroke for stroke with very little separating the top three finishers. Bangor’s Grace Eyre was narrowly touched out of the gold medal position but collected the silver in a strong time of 2:49.57. Third place went to Eimear O’Neill (2:50.85) of Cookstown in which was a very tight race.
Day 4
Portadown and Bangor battled it out for the relay gold this morning, with Bangor edging it to secure the first gold medal on offer in the 12yrs Mixed 200 Freestyle Relay. Chloe Stewart, Olivia Falls, Zach Coulter and Zachary Morrow clocked a combined 2:06.43 to take the gold back to Bangor, Portadown finished closely behind in second (2:06.72).
In the 13-14yrs Mixed 400 Freestyle Relay, the bronze medal went to Ards (4:09.49).
In the 13yrs Girls 1500 Freestyle event, bronze was won by Ballymena’s Sophie Walls (20:43.35).
The Girls 100 Freestyle was the first session of the final evening of competition with 12 yrs bronze going to Chloe Stewart (1:05.99) of Bangor. In the 13yrs, Mila Pickett of Ards went 1:03.10 to win the national gold medal.
The Boys 400 Freestyle headed to the blocks next as Dara Hynes of Portadown claimed the national 13yrs gold in 4:34.23.
In the Girls 400 IM, Rebecca Lavery of Bangor was first home to win the 13yrs gold with a time of 5:28.53. Portadown’s Ella Kanis-Dickson went 5:39.90 to pick up the silver medal.
In the 14yrs, Cookstown swimmer Eimear O’Neill went 5:29.98 on her way to bronze.
In the Boys 200 Butterfly 12yrs race, Bradley Walker (Portadown) topped the podium in 2:44.06, Eoghan McQuillan (Lisburn) was next home in second place.
Dara Hynes of Portadown was first home in the 13yrs race, clocking 2:27.48 on his way to gold, while third going to Logan Wiggins of Bangor (2:35.73). The 14yrs national gold was claimed by Banbridge swimmer Shea Mathers, who clocked 2:19.09 to take top spot on the podium.
The Girls 200 Butterfly swimmers were next in the pool. Mila Pickett (Ards) went 2:41.22 to win the 13yrs gold medal.
In the 14yrs, City of Derry swimmer Grace O’Kane went 2:47.42 to pick up silver.
The Boys 200 IM brought the national championships to a close, with Eoghan McQuillan of Lisburn first home in the 12yrs race, winning the national gold in 2:40.43. Bronze going to Bradley Walker of Portadown in 2:44.83.
In the 13yrs, Egan Hearty was second on the podium as the Sliabh Beagh swimmer clocked a time of 2:34.08 on his way to silver.
Lurgan’s Cian Doyle went 2:22.42 to pick up the national silver in the 14 yrs final.
Top Score and Top Quality Score
Overall Total Scores – https://www.swimulster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Total-Scores.pdf
Quality Club Team Rankings – https://www.swimulster.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Quality-Club-scores.pdf