ENNISKILLEN’S Ellie McCartney has been selected to represent Ireland at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, joining an impressive 12-strong team that includes Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen and fellow Olympic medallist Mona McSharry.

The announcement marks a significant milestone for the 20-year-old National Centre Limerick swimmer, who earned her place on the team following her outstanding performances at the Irish Open Championships where she set a championship record in the 200m Breaststroke with a time of 2:24.35.

McCartney joins an exciting blend of experienced athletes and emerging talent, with Swim Ireland naming several promising young swimmers alongside established stars like European Champion Danielle Hill and Olympic semi-finalist Tom Fannon. The team will be looking to build on Ireland’s historic three-medal haul from the Paris Olympics.

McCartney’s preparation for Singapore continued with impressive performances at the prestigious Mare Nostrum Swim Tour, competing across venues in Barcelona and Canet-en-Roussillon.

The international competition provided crucial race experience against world-class opposition ahead of the World Championships.

In her first outing in Barcelona, McCartney qualified to both the 100m Breaststroke B Final (1:08.05) and 200m Individual Medley B Final (2:14.94), using the competition as valuable preparation for her upcoming international commitments. Her standout performance came in the 200m Breaststroke, where she demonstrated remarkable improvement throughout the competition.

After clocking 2:28.18 in the heats, McCartney returned for the A final and delivered a stunning 2:25.46, narrowly missing the podium in fourth place.

The final leg of the Mare Nostrum tour saw McCartney continue to excel. She qualified for the 100m Breaststroke A Final, recording 1:08.44 to finish sixth in a highly competitive field.

Her crowning achievement came in the 200m Breaststroke Final, where McCartney claimed bronze with a time of 2:24.55, finishing just 0.3 seconds behind silver.

Remarkably, the final featured at least three Olympians and a Commonwealth swimmer, underlining the quality of competition McCartney is now competing against those at the highest level.

McCartney’s selection for the World Championships caps off a remarkable rise that has seen her become Ireland’s second-fastest ever female breaststroke swimmer in both the 100m and 200m events.

Her times now place her in the world’s top 25 rankings for 2025 in the 200m Breaststroke.

The busy summer schedule ahead includes the European Aquatics U23 Championships, where McCartney will look to build further on her recent success before heading to Singapore.

The continued support from local sponsors Encirc and Balcas, as well as Sport NI and Sport Ireland has been instrumental in McCartney’s development, enabling her to compete at this elite level and represent both her local community and Ireland with distinction.

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