Galway swimmer breaks records in French capital

JOHN Shortt from Galway set two Irish records, one individual and one team, in Paris last week at the European Aquatics Championships.

The 19-year-old Roscam swimmer set a new Irish record of 1:55.21 in the 200metre backstroke semi-final on Tuesday evening of last week. Shortt finished seventh in Wednesday’s final in a time of 1:55.86 – his third fastest time ever. The final was won by Olympic champion Hubert Kós from Hungary.

On Thursday morning, Shortt won his heat in the 50metre backstroke in a time of 25.11 but didn’t qualify for a semi-final place. The National Centre Limerick swimmer also narrowly missed out on making the 100metre backstroke semi-finals on Saturday, coming fourth in his heat in 54.17.

Shortt took to the pool in Paris on Sunday to set a new Irish record in the men’s 4x100metre medley relay alongside Jack Kelly, Jack Cassin and Evan Bailey.

The quartet finished 10th in a time of 3:33.74, which was less than a second outside of the final places. Shortt swam his backstroke split in a time of 53.97.

Team Ireland arrived home from the French capital with five medals won by Sligo’s Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe from Dublin. Walshe won two golds in the 200metre individual medley and the 400metre individual medley, while McSharry claimed silver in the 100metre backstroke and bronze in both the 50metre breaststroke and 200metre breaststroke.

John Shortt is member of the Bluefin club based out of Kilcornan Swimming Pool in Clarinbridge, swimming out of the National Centre Limerick.