Ulster Swimmers again showed their potential at the Irish Youth / Open LC Championships in the NAC 23-26th July 2009.
In the Men’s 50m Breast Stroke Michael Dawson took gold, setting a new Irish Junior Record and qualified for the European SC Championships in Istanbul in December. Simon Dickson took the silver medal. Alison Todd (C.o.B) took silver in the women’s event. 50m Butterfly Steven McQuillan took gold and set a new Irish Record in this event for the 4th time this season and qualified for the European Championships in December.
50m Backstroke Chelsey Wilson won the senior event, Katie Reid got silver in the 16 yrs, setting a new Ulster Junior Record 50m Freestyle Gavin Williamson won the bronze medal.
100m Backstroke Luke Campbell added gold to his stash and Bruce Traill (Ballymoney) won the silver. Tom Murray (Enniskillen) won the open silver medal. Katie Reid and Chelsey Wilson both won gold in their age bands.
100m Butterfly Emily Heyburn won a silver medal in junior girls, Jordan Leckey was 2nd and Chris Hamilton 3rd in the 17/18 yrs and in the open event Steven McQuillan took another gold and again broke his own Irish Record for the 4th time since February.
100m Freestyle Luke Campbell (Ards) and Katie Reid (Lisburn) each won another gold medal.
100m Breaststroke in the u/16 category Simon Osborne (Ballymoney) won the gold medal and Chris Coulter (Lisburn) took the silver. In the 17/18 yrs, Michael Dawson won again and Jordan Leckey (Lurgan) won the silver medal. Alison Todd (C.o.B) won silver in the women’s event. 200m Butterfly Chris Hamilton was the Irish Champion and Conor Donnelly took bronze. Emily Heyburn won the gold in her age group. 200m freestyle in the 16 yrs Luke Campbell (Ards) won the gold medal and Adam Matthews, Lisburn took silver. In the open final Conor Donnelly came 1st.
Donna Marie O Prey won the 800 free and won bronze in the 400 free
Katie Reid had a great competition winning silver in this event and Emily Heyburn (C.o.B) taking home a bronze.
200 Backstroke Katie Reid, Chelsey Wilson and Luke Campbell each won another gold medal!
200m Breaststroke Alison Todd won the silver in the women’s final and Michael Dawson won gold and Jordan Leckey silver in the men’s races.
200 Individual Medley Darren Bell (C.o.B) and Jordan Leckey (Lurgan) both won silver medals in their age groups.
400m Individual Medley is a very tough event, 100m each of Butterfly, backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle. Adam Matthews showed his mettle in coming 2nd and in the 17/18 age band, Conor Donnelly (Leander) won gold, Chris Hamilton the silver and Ryan Wray (Leander) bronze.
400m Freestyle Erin McCreedy (Bangor) was 3rd, Adam Matthews 1st in his category and Matthew Harkness 2nd. Conor Donnelly was also 2nd in his age band and set a new Ulster Junior Record. 1500m Freestyle Conor Donnelly won the gold medal in this 30 length race - the longest event in the pool!
Relays There were a few Ulster Clubs on the podium for relays also Bangor and Ards both won Medley and Freestyle medals and Leander were also on form winning a medal.
Elite Athletes with Disability were also present and Namphon Steele won the 50m freestyle while Laurence McGivern and Stephen Campbell won gold and bronze.
This has been a fabulous year for Ulster Swimmers, starting off with those who represented Ireland at the European Championships in December and the Celtic Tri-Nations in February.
There were also 3 from Ulster who qualified for the World University Games in Belgrade – Melanie Nocher, Ashleigh Hyland and Steven McQuillan.
Sycerika McMahon and Jordan Sloan were selected for the European Youth Olympic Festival.
Michael Dawson went to the European Junior Championships in Prague.
There are some currently in Sheffield at the ASA National Championships – Katie Reid, Emily Heyburn, Luke Campbell, Conor Donnelly, Ryan Wray, Mark Wylie, Chelsey Wilson, Michael Dawson, Steven McQuillan, Sycerika McMahon
The World Championships are in Rome - Ulster swimmers are; Ryan Harrison, Andrew Bree, Melanie Nocher, Clare Dawson and Conor Leaney.
