Daniel Wiffen Goes 14:42 In The 1500 To Clinch Freestyle Treble As Irish Championships Wrap Up
Daniel Wiffen and Danielle Hill set new championship records as the 2025 Irish Open Swimming Championships ended in Dublin. In all, 12 championship standards as well as three Irish senior and four Irish junior records were set across five days of racing.
Wiffen went 14:42.71 in the 1500 free to go second in the rankings behind Florian Wellbrock and his world lead of 14:38.27 at a swift Swim Open Stockholm. The double Olympic medallist completed the distance freestyle treble which also saw him win the 400 in 3:46.87 and post the fourth-fastest 800 of his career in 7:41.52 which was a world lead before being surpassed by Lukas Märtens, who lowered his German record to 7:39.10, with Wellbrock going 7:41.10 behind him.
The Loughborough swimmer broke the 2018 championship record of 15:07.07, and was well under the consideration time of 15:01.89 for the World Championships in Singapore. Twin Nathan Wiffen was second in 15:15.57 with National Centre Limerick’s Denis O’Brien third in 15:22.18.
Daniel Wiffen: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia
Speaking through Swim Ireland after the race Wiffen said: “Amazing swim, I’m very happy with it. I would’ve liked my brother to have gone under the 15 minutes, but today wasn’t his day, so I’m sure he will have it in the future. But mine, happy with the time, 14:42 is a world-class time and it’s not far off of what won me the bronze medal in the Olympics, so I’m very pleased. It did hurt a lot, but it was worth it. Pretty solid times in all three (events), obviously came away with a gold medal and it was great to have such a lovely crowd cheer me the whole way.”
On swimming in front of sell-out crowds at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre, he continued: “It’s kind of special to be honest, like everybody turns up after watching me at the Olympics. Most time the Olympics hype dies out a couple of months after it, but to see children, families turning up, some guy was here on his wedding anniversary, don’t know how his wife let him come. People are turning up to watch swimming and it’s great to see and I’m just happy people love the Olympics so much that they just keep wanting to watch swimming for the next four years.”
The World Championships run in Singapore from 27 July to 3 August with Wiffen the reigning champion in the 800 and 1500. Looking ahead he said: “Get a lot of training in, that’s the plan. I’ve got a lot of work to do, I’ve got a lot of ideas I want to do, and I’ve also got a big goal to win a couple of gold medals in the summer, so I’m going to work towards those goals and come away with a couple of medals.”
Hill, who had already achieved consideration for the World Championships earlier in the week, set a new championship record in the 50m backstroke. The Paris Olympian clocked 22.85 – 0.21 outside her Irish record of 27.64 – and inside the Championship record of 28.11 she set in 2023. Silver went to National Centre Limerick’s Maria Godden (29.22) and bronze to UCDs Jena Macdougald (29.24).
Danielle Hill: Photo Courtesy: Swim Ireland
Hill was back in the pool soon after to claim her second gold of the day in the 50m freestyle. The Larne swimmer was home in 25.44 ahead of National Centre Dublin’s Rosalie Phelan (26.06) and UCD’s Macdougald (26.85).
Ellie McCartney, who secured a consideration time for the World Championships and set a championship record of 2:24.35 in the semi-final of the 200m breaststroke on Tuesday night, swam her second fastest time ever, to win her first gold medal of the week in 2:25.01. McCartney has achieved consideration for World Championships, World University Games and European U23 Championships and is now ranked inside the top 10 in the world this year in the event.
Shark’s Niamh Connery rounded out a great week with a silver medal and consideration time for the European Junior Championships in a personal best swim of 2:31.39. Portmarnock’s Megan Jones completed the podium in 2:40.15.
Bailey Clinches Freestyle Double
National Centre Limerick’s Evan Bailey, already under consideration for the European U23 Championships and World University Games, added 100m freestyle gold to the 200m freestyle title he won earlier in the week, in a best time of 49.15. Bailey was the only swimmer under fifty seconds with Larne’s Thomas Leggett home in 50.78 for silver and National Centre Limerick’s Cormac Rynn winning bronze in 50.81.
Sundays Well’s Clare Custer closed out an impressive meet with her third gold medal, adding the 800m freestyle to the 400m and 1500m titles. Custer, who was under the consideration time for the European Junior Championships, was the only swimmer under nine minutes in 8:56.46. Kingdom’s Lily Doyle took silver in 9:11.15 with bronze going to AURA Dundalk’s Rebekah Friel in 9:12.56, under consideration for the European Junior Open Water Championships.
Aer Lingus swimmer Julia Dziedzic has had an impressive breakthrough week in Dublin achieving consideration times in three events for the European Youth Olympic Festival. On Wednesday, the 15-year-old won her first national title in the 400IM in 5:01.18, adding to times in the 200m backstroke and 400m freestyle for the Macedonia event. The silver medal was won by Drogheda’s Georgina Walker in 5:07.05 with National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien completing the podium in 5:09.46.
In the Open 400IM Banbridge’s Tom Wilkinson topped the podium in 4:37.41. He was followed home by Phelim Hanley (Blackrock) in a European Juniors consideration time of 4:39.77 and New Ross’ Emmet Cousins in 4:43.72.
There was a clean sweep of medals for National Centre Limerick swimmers in the Open 200m butterfly. Jack Cassin was the only Irish swimmer under two minutes in 1:59.18 to add to his 100m butterfly title. In second Brogan McAviney clocked 2:02.89 with bronze going to Ronan Kilcoyne in 2:06.88.
Eoin Corby continued the National Centre Limerick run at medals as he claimed his second gold of the meet, adding the 200m breaststroke to the 100m title in 2:13.07. Silver went to National Centre Ulster’s Lachey Reed (2:18.17) and bronze to National Centre Dublin’s Liam O’Connor (2:19.30).
Catterson Wins Fourth Straight 200 Free Title
The female 200m freestyle title went to National Centre Dublin’s Victoria Catterson for the fourth year in a row. Catterson won out in 2:00.99 ahead of Ards’ Grace Davison (2:02.84) who was under the consideration time once again for the European Junior Championships and National Centre Limerick’s Danielle Farrell in 2:03.32.
Victoria Catterson: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
In the Open 50m backstroke, National Centre Limerick’s Charlie Cassidy took gold ahead of UCD’s David O’Loughlin (26.46) and NAC’s Fionn Byrne (27.42). Commemorative gold went to Portugal’s Joao Nogueira Costa in 25.31.
Bangor’s Adam Bradley collected the 50m breaststroke gold medal and national title in 28.55 ahead of Athlone’s Christian O’Brien (28.75) and National Centre Limerick’s Diarmuid Sutton (28.97). In the female final, Portmarnock’s Ava Jones topped the podium in 31.78, silver going to Sundays Wells’ Isabel Kidney in 32.22 and bronze to National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne in 32.25.
Dylan Registe of Lisburn City won the open 50m butterfly in 24.46 with National Centre Ulster’s Charlie Eatwell taking silver in 25.13 and National Centre Limerick’s Eoghan Rynn bronze in 25.39. Commemorative gold was won by Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro in a new Championship Record of 23.09. In the female final Ards Emma Coulter won gold in 27.50 followed by UCD’s Macdougald (27.74) and Shark’s Katie Kelly in 28.46. Commemorative gold went to Manchester’s Jessica Calderbank in 26.99.
Speaking at the conclusion of the event, Swim Ireland National Performance Director Jon Rudd commented: “Having completed five days of excellent racing, we can reflect back on some outstanding racing here in Dublin that gives us so much more to look forward to this summer. With some fantastic young prospects breaking through into the senior ranks this week to join our established senior contingent, the World Championships in Singapore in July look very well set for Irish swimming.
“When you see three Irish Senior and four Irish Junior records broken at this competition, it underlines even more that times are very good for Irish swimming and that we have already built on our success from the Paris Games. We have a whole host of athletes to now consider for six National Teams this summer at age group, youth, and senior levels – so there is so much to anticipate for Irish swimming fans out there across June and July. Keep up the great work athletes and coaches – the big stages are ready for you!”
