Ellen Walshe starred on the final day of competition at the Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials as the Templeogue swimmer secured a second Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) in the 400m Individual Medley.
Walshe had already qualified for the Games in the 200m Individual Medley and swam an impressive 4:38.05 in the 400m IM heats, just one tenth of a second outside the Irish record she set three weeks ago at the Leinster Championships, but more importantly half a second inside the OQT.
Having achieved the time needed in the heats, Walshe cruised through the final to take the national title in 4.43.62.
There was disappointment for both Shane Ryan and Nathan Wiffen, both will miss out on competing in Paris in their individual events.
Ryan was just 0.32 shy of making his third games in the super final of the 100m freestyle.
On the last night Wiffen missed out on the opportunity to join his twin at the games, winning the 1500m freestyle title in 15.06.47, five and a half seconds shy of the OQT.
It wasn't for want of trying. Wiffen had to swim the race on his own as he was well ahead of the rest of the finalists.
Although the County Down man has missed out on Paris, qualification for next months Europeans in Belgrade is secured.
Ryan went close to the OQT in Saturday's A final for the 100 free in 48.49, 0.15 of a second shy of the standard required. He was also slightly slower in the Super final winning in a time of 48.66.
There is still an outside chance that Ryan could make the Irish freestyle relay squad should they be invited to the games in Paris.
Danielle Hill continued her great form winning the non-Olympic 50m Backstroke event.
Hill, who had qualified for the Paris Games in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke this week in new Irish records, was just outside her 50m Backstroke national record, touching in 27.65 just one hundredth of a second outside.
200m backstroke champion John Shortt was the fastest qualifier out of the Men’s 50m Backstroke heats and he won gold in a speedy 25.80.
Swimmers with Paris Olympic Qualification Time:
Daniel Wiffen (400m, 800m, 1500m Freestyle), Ellen Walshe (200m and 400 IM), Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke), Danielle Hill (50m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke), Tom Fannon (50m Freestyle) Women 4x100m Medley Relay, Men 4x100m Medley Relay* Two Olympic Qualification Times (OQT) are required from the team in order to confirm the Olympic place when invited.
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