Galway SC make big splash at the national Open Championships

AT the Irish Age, Youth and Open Championships held in the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin at the weekend, swimmers from Galway SC had one of their best national meets in many years.

The city club amassed 35 podium places made up of 11 National titles, 14 silver and ten bronze medals with four swimmers qualifying for the National Youth Squad in September 2014. Furthermore, Galway SC set 14 new Connacht records.

In the Age-group category, there was a first National age group title in U13 boys for Max Kolcow in the 100 backstroke. Max also picked up four silver in the 100/200 freestyle, 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley and qualified for the National Youth squad in the 100 freestyle and 200 backstroke.

Fionn Duffy had a storming meet also picking, up three bronzes medals in the 200/400 individual medley and also the 200 breaststroke. In the girls U12 age-group, Isabelle Gibbs won two excellent bronze medals in the 100 and 200 backstroke, and also qualified the National Youth squad.

Team-mate 13 year old Sophie Moran, swimming a year out of age, picked up a brave silver in the U14 200 backstroke and also qualified for the National Youth squad for September 2014.

In the girls Youth category, Kate Kavanagh made it a clean sweep of National titles, winning the Open title in the 50 backstroke and also securing U16 titles in the 100 and 200 backstroke, setting new U17 and senior Connacht records in the 50 and 100 backstroke.

In the Open women 50 freestyle, Kate Finn finished with an impressive second place and set new Connacht U17 and senior records and also picked up a bronze medal in the U16 100 freestyle, swimming under the one minute barrier for the very first time in a 59.09.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.