Americans Conclude Irish Open Championships With Eight Victories

NCSA team pose for photo at the 2015 Irish Open

Photo Courtesy: Jeff Commings

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The Americans closed out an impressive visit to the Irish Open Championships with eight more victories at the National Aquatic Centre, including lifetime bests for seven of the winners. Two of Ireland’s potential Olympians were also victorious, showing the country’s butterfly strength while chasing national records.

Katie Drabot was the star tonight for the National Club Swimming Association’s group of 18-and-unders, winning two more events to take four total. She started with a 2:14.38 in the 200 IM, taking the lead after butterfly and never letting go. She beat her lifetime best of 2:14.80 in holding off runner-up Evie Pfeifer, who chopped seven tenths off her lifetime best with a 2:16.84 for second place. Ireland’s Shani Stallard of UCD qualified for the World University Games with a third-place time of 2:17.58.

2 May 2015; Katie Drabot, NCSA, competes in the 'B' final of the women's 400m freestyle event during the 2015 Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre, Abbotstown, Dublin. Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Photo Courtesy: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Drabot returned for the final women’s event of the meet, the 50 freestyle, and won that with a 25.81 to mark her first time under 26 seconds and give her another event to swim at next year’s Olympic Trials. That gave Drabot her fourth win of the meet to go along with the 100 and 200 freestyle victories earlier in the competition. Teammate Casey Fanz just missed her lifetime best of 25.78, placing second with a 25.98. Caroline McTaggart made it an American 1-2-3 with a 26.01 for third.

Joy Field took over the lead from Irishwoman Grainne Murphy 800 meters in the fastest heat of the women’s 1500 freestyle, winning with a personal best 16:39.70. Kendall Brent also passed Murphy in the closing stages to give the Americans a sweep of the top two spots with a 16:44.53. Murphy settled for third with a 16:47.25 as the Olympian works to return to form in time for a possible return to the Olympics.

Matthew Hirschberger took the lead early in the men’s 800 freestyle and won by 15 seconds with a lifetime best 8:02.57, lowering his best time by five seconds to sweep the distance freestyle races. Ireland’s Andrew Meegan and Brendan Gibbons sprinted to the finish in an exciting battle for the crowd, with national record holder Meegan getting second with an 8:17.65 to Gibbons’ 8:17.79.

Alex Lebed broke away from the field on backstroke and lengthened his lead to win the 200 IM with a 2:03.68, a personal best by two tenths. The 18-year-old Florida commit also won the 400 IM earlier in the meet. Justin Ress held off Irishman Ben Griffin to give the USA a 1-2 sweep with a 2:06.13 to Griffin’s 2:06.92.

1 May 2015; Alex Lebed, NCSA, on his way to winning the A final of the men's 400m individual medley event, during the 2015 Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre, Abbotstown, Dublin. Picture credit: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE

Photo Courtesy: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE

Olivia Anderson took six tenths off her lifetime best in winning the 200 breaststroke with a 2:33.40. She whizzed past Riley Scott in the final 25 meters, leaving Scott to place second with a 2:34.80. Dearbhail McNamara of Castlebar got third with a 2:38.44.

Hannah Whiteley, the winner of the women’s 100 back, shaved three hundredths off her lifetime best to win the 50 backstroke in a close race with a 29.23. Teammate Zoe Avestruz just missed out on her first win of the meet with a 29.25 for second, while Sunday’s Well’s Iseult Hayes gave the Irish a third-place finish with a 30.06. Hayes was five hundredths off the Irish junior record of 30.01, held by Jane Roberts since 2013.

John Shebat won his first event of the meet, taking the 50 backstroke with a 26.29. He was challenged across the field, with Irishmen Brian O’Sullivan of the National Aquatic Centre (26.84) and David Prendergast of UCD (26.97) also dipping under 27 seconds.

Ireland won four events in exciting fashion. Shauna O’Brien and Brendan Hyland chased their national records in the 100 butterfly. For O’Brien, a new record possibly meant becoming the first swimmer under 1:00 after posting a 1:00.21 in yesterday’s semifinals. But O’Brien could only muster a 1:00.56 tonight, which she needed as American Lauren Case almost ran her down, placing second with a 1:00.65. That’s just a second off her lifetime best. McTaggart earned another bronze medal tonight with a 1:01.20 for third.

After a 54.40 in yesterday’s semifinals, the crowd hoped to see Hyland break his two-month-old national record of 54.27, but Hyland fell short with a 54.45. American Zach Harting, in the same fashion as he used in the 200 butterfly, nearly caught Hyland and finished second with a 55.31, just three hundredths off his lifetime best. Harting’s teammate Jonathan Burkett was third with a 55.40.

2 May 2015; Brendan Hyland, Tallaght, competes in his semi-final of the men's 100m butterfly event during the 2015 Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre, Abbotstown, Dublin. Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Photo Courtesy: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Nicholas Quinn of Castlebar went after the world championship qualifying time of 2:11.71 in the 200 breaststroke, pacing the swim well through 150 meters. But he couldn’t seal the deal and won with a 2:13.18, which puts him on the country’s roster for the World University Games. Ross Palazzo was the fastest American, placing a distant second with a 2:18.28, while teammate Ethan Browne finished third with a 2:18.59.

The final event of the meet, the men’s 50 freestyle, went to Irishman Curtis Coulter with a 23.07 to give the Ards swimmer the sprint freestyle sweep. James Jones of the NCSA team placed second with a 23.23 and Coulter’s teammate Conor Munn was third with a 23.43.

2015 Irish Open, Day 4 – Results

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