Day 1
The Women’s 100m Backstroke heats marked the beginning of Team Ireland’s campaign, with Danielle Hill stepping up as the first Ulster swimmer to compete. Hill delivered a strong performance, touching the wall in 57.95 seconds—her third-fastest time ever in this event—though narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot. The Larne athlete is set to return to action on Wednesday in the 100m Freestyle, bringing high hopes for an even stronger showing.
Later that evening, Nathan Wiffen made his World Championships debut in the 1500m Freestyle, competing in the fastest heat of the event. Wiffen stunned with a personal best of 14:32.65, slashing over six seconds off his previous record of 14:38.75. This remarkable effort placed him sixth in his heat and ninth overall, an impressive feat on his championship debut.
Reflecting on his race, the Loughborough swimmer shared, “I’m pretty happy with that. I’ve had a long summer, and to come back and drop six seconds for a PB is great. I think I lost it a bit after the 1,000-metre mark—I just felt wrecked, to be honest, as I tried to go out quite hard. But I’m pleased; a PB is always something to celebrate.”
Day 2
Danielle Hill returned to the pool on Wednesday morning for the 100m Freestyle. In a fiercely competitive heat, she clocked 53.66 seconds, just shy of her personal best of 53.03. Despite not setting a new record, her performance remains a testament to her consistency at the highest level of the sport.
Day 3
In the Women’s 50m Backstroke heats, Danielle Hill demonstrated her prowess, finishing third in her heat with a time of 26.67 seconds—just off her Irish record of 26.33. This performance secured her a spot in the semi-finals, ranked 13th overall.
Reflecting on her progress, Hill remarked, “The first two days were tough, but I’m not too disappointed—it’s where I was. I texted Peter (Hill, her coach) and was brutally honest: we hadn’t done the work, and that’s okay. Coming off the Olympic Games and European Championships changed my perspective on swimming. I’m happy to get the hand on the wall in the 50m, and now we go through the processes for tonight.”
In the Men’s 400m Freestyle, Nathan Wiffen delivered his second-fastest performance ever, touching in 3:44.05, just shy of his personal best of 3:43.69. His effort placed him fifth in his heat. Post-race, Wiffen commented, “I’m tired—it really took it out of me. I actually miscounted by 50m and thought, ‘Oh no, I’ve got another 50 to go!’ But I’m happy enough with the swim.”
Finals – Day 3
Danielle Hill came heartbreakingly close to her Irish record in the Women’s 50m Backstroke semi-final, clocking 26.34—just 0.01 seconds off her mark from the 2023 European Championships. This performance saw her climb from 13th to 11th in the world rankings.
“I’m happy I achieved what I wanted to from heats to semis,” Hill noted. “Fifty-metre races are brutal—you’ve got to nail everything because the smallest mistake can cost you. I’ve got work to do back home, but I’m encouraged by how close I came to my record.”
Day 4
Ellie McCartney, competing in her first senior World Championships, swam her second-best time in the 200m Breaststroke, clocking 2:23.26. The National Centre Limerick swimmer finished sixth in her heat, with this being her sole event of the week.
Reflecting on her performance, McCartney said, “I’m satisfied with that. I came here to race the best in the world, and while I know I can go faster—like last week’s 2:21.21 at the Scottish Nationals—I’ve learned I need to deliver that in the heats. It’s all part of the process.”
Day 5
Danielle Hill wrapped up her Championships with the Women’s 50m Freestyle, finishing in 24.35 seconds—just outside her Irish record of 24.00. She was seeded as second reserve for the semi-finals, missing out by a narrow margin.
Reflecting on her campaign, Hill said, “It’s been a lot of learning and near misses, but I’m in a much better place mentally. It’s about going back and putting in more work—that’s the reality. This year, my priority hasn’t been swimming; I returned to university for a Master’s, which has been intense. I even sat an exam yesterday morning! Balancing studies and swimming has been tough, but I’m enjoying it, and that’s what matters.”
In the Men’s 800m Freestyle, Nathan Wiffen capped off his Championships with a strong showing. Competing in the fastest heat, Wiffen clocked 7:35.92, finishing fifth in the heat and eighth overall, just off his personal best of 7:34.78. The 23-year-old was pleased with his first top-eight world placement, saying, “It’s been a great short-course season. The PB in the 1500m was unexpected, and overall, I’m happy with my performances.”
Day 6
Lottie Cullen made a stunning debut for Team Ireland, shattering her personal best in the 200m Backstroke by five seconds. Clocking 2:05.57, Cullen finished 13th overall, becoming Ireland’s second-fastest swimmer in the event, behind double Olympian Melanie Nocher (2:04.29).
“I’m really happy,” said Cullen. “I haven’t swum this event in about a year, so to drop five seconds was a big surprise. It’s been an incredible experience.”