Enniskillen swimming sensation Ellie McCartney has been selected to represent Ireland at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, from June 17-23.
The selection comes hot on the heels of her outstanding performance at the Irish Open Swimming Championships in Dublin last month, where she clinched gold in both the 200m Individual Medley and the 200m Breaststroke.
Swim Ireland confirmed a 20-strong team for the European Championships on Monday, including 18 swimmers and two divers.
McCartney, who studies Sports Science at the University of Limerick, is part of the next generation of Swim Ireland stars joining seasoned athletes like Shane Ryan, Darragh Greene, Conor Ferguson, and Max McCusker in Serbia.
In Dublin, McCartney’s dominance was evident as she took the 200m Individual Medley title with a commanding time of 2:16.04, well ahead of her competitors. She followed this by achieving the consideration time for the European Championships in the 100m freestyle and the 200m Breaststroke, showcasing her versatility.
Her performance in the 200m Breaststroke was particularly thrilling, though. In a closely contested A final, McCartney edged out National Centre Dublin’s Niamh Coyne by a mere six-hundredths of a second, clocking in at 2:29.67. And she capped off her week by winning the Super Final with an even better time of 2:29.20, pressing the case for her place in Belgrade once again.
Andrew Reid, Swim Ireland’s Head of Performance Pathways & Operations, expressed excitement about the upcoming competitions, emphasising the blend of experience and youth in the team.
“When you bring experience and youth together, you get an exciting dynamic within a team,” Reid said. “We can all look forward to these flights into Belgrade, Rome, Vienna, and Vilnius not just setting us up for now, with Paris ahead, but also for a great future for Irish swimming.”
The European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade will run alongside the Sette Colli meet in Rome, where other top Irish swimmers like Daniel Wiffen, Ellen Walshe, and Tom Fannon will compete. Meanwhile, McCartney’s focus will be on making her mark in her first long course senior championships.
With her recent performances, McCartney has continually proven she is one to watch, not only in Belgrade but also as a promising talent for future international competitions.
From starting her swimming journey at the Lakeland Forum to training at the University of Limerick and the Swim Ireland National Centre, McCartney’s selection for the senior European Championships is a testament to her progress.
The Fermanagh community and all of Ireland will be eagerly cheering her on as she takes this next big step in her swimming career.
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