The College Swim Club had a fantastic showing at the recent Connacht Short Course Championships in Castlebar over the past weekend, with stellar performances and several podium finishes across two intense days of competition.
With fifteen swimmers swimming in a wide range of events, it was great to see them making a splash in the short-course season. With so many swims, we will focus on the outstanding swims that made finals and won medals.
For the Saturday evening finals, we had much success! Thomas, Bluefin, had a strong swim in the 200m Breaststroke final. In 100m IM, Jake powered through to secure BRONZE, placing 3rd. In the 50m Freestyle, Éidhne claimed an impressive GOLD, finishing 1st, while Paddy delivered a solid performance, placing 4th. Paddy showcased consistent effort, finishing 4th in the 100m Butterfly, with Daniel also representing the club. In the 200m Freestyle, Semyon Tuam gave a commendable performance.
There were outstanding swims in the 50 m Breaststroke, with Éidhne swimming to SILVER, taking 2nd place, and Jake claiming his second podium finish of the day with BRONZE, finishing 3rd. But the most exciting race had to be the 4x50m Open Relay, which was a remarkable team effort. The squad clinched GOLD, earning a 1st-place finish.
Sunday Finals saw more outstanding swims. 4x50m Medley Relay had another exceptional team effort brought home GOLD.
In the 50m Butterfly, Paddy stepped up again, delivering a determined race. Leah swam quickly and grace, representing the club strongly in the 50m Freestyle. The 100m Breaststroke saw Éidhne dominate the event, earning GOLD, while Jake and Thomas (Blue Fin) added depth to the competition. 100m Butterfly: Leah earned BRONZE in a hard-fought race. The 100m Freestyle's competitive field saw strong performances from Paddy, Éidhne, and Thomas (Blue Fin). The women's 50m Breaststroke had Kristin and Caoilfhinn representing the club admirably in this event. We saw in the 50m Backstroke Semyon (Tuam) swam with determination. The 200m Freestyle Final had Ailbhe (Blue Fin) swimming fast. However, the day's standout performance belonged to Ailbhe (Blue Fin), who delivered a commanding swim to secure GOLD in the gruelling 1500m Freestyle.
The team demonstrated excellent skill, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the competition. The club proved its strength in individual events and relay races with multiple podium finishes, including several gold medals. Congratulations to all swimmers for their efforts and achievements!