Shortt’s 53.17 and Kelly’s 26.84 headline a night that pushed Ireland toward a busy summer of international competition
The second night of finals at the Irish Open Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials in Bangor produced a series of high-quality performances that reshaped the leaderboard and the selection conversation. Across a packed programme, swimmers posted a total of 24 consideration times for major summer meets, underlining the meet’s role as a form-check ahead of the international season.
The evening was punctuated by two new national benchmarks and a stream of quick swims that confirmed Ireland is building depth across sprint and middle-distance events.
Night highlights and record performances
Two headline results dominated coverage: a new Irish record in the men’s 100m backstroke and a record-breaking opening for a new Irish representative in the sprints.
The performances were delivered by athletes from different training bases but with a shared sense of momentum; their times not only rewrote the meet history but also placed Ireland more visibly on selection radars for the summer. Alongside the individual medals, several centres and clubs appeared consistently on podiums, showcasing a broad base of competitive readiness in the squad.
Shortt’s breakout in the 100m backstroke
At 19, John Shortt produced a landmark swim in the Open 100m backstroke, stopping the clock at 53.17 to claim both the national and championship records. That time represents a rapid progression for Shortt, who had lowered the Irish standard to 53.37 in Paris just two weeks earlier. The new time places him among the fastest performers worldwide this year and sits comfortably inside the consideration time for the European Aquatics Championships. Shortt’s podium was completed by National Centre Limerick teammates who reinforced the club’s strength across backstroke events.
Kelly makes an immediate impact in the 50m breaststroke
On his Irish Championship debut, Jack Kelly announced himself with a blistering 50m breaststroke of 26.84, shaving clear of the previous Irish standard of 26.94 and improving on the championship mark he set earlier in the day. The 23-year-old, who has been training in the United States, has committed to representing Ireland and said his work overseas has paid dividends. Kelly’s swim also dipped under the selection threshold for the European Aquatics Championships, while established names such as Darragh Greene and Eoin Corby filled the remaining steps on the podium, also producing qualifying-level times.
Other notable finals and ascending qualifiers
Bangor’s second night contained a string of important results across genders and classifications. Rosalie Phelan lowered the championship standard in the 50m butterfly with a 26.62, while Lottie Cullen won the female 100m backstroke in 1:00.35 to secure both Commonwealth and European consideration. In the men’s mid-distance events, Liam Custer captured the 400m individual medley (4:23.14) with an U23 standard, and Phelim Macken posted a European junior mark. Sprint winners included James Ward in the 50m butterfly and Olympic medallist Mona McSharry in the 50m breaststroke, each producing times that keep them in international contention.
Para and junior achievements
The meet also delivered progress on the para and junior fronts: multiple para swimmers secured qualification standards for the European Para Swimming Championships, with names such as Ellie Lynch and Luke O’Donoghue among those adding times to the list. Junior qualifiers emerged in the 400m IM and distance events, demonstrating that Ireland’s development pathway is feeding the senior programme. These results are important because an initial qualification time signals selection potential, but athletes will be expected to prove competitive readiness at designated events as part of final selection protocols.
What this means for the summer international schedule
The Bangor outcomes feed directly into planning for a busy international summer. Swimmers achieved consideration times for several targeted events, including the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, Scotland, 24th – 29th July, the 2026 European Aquatics Championships, Paris, France, 10th – 16th August, the 2026 European Para Swimming Championships, Kocaeli, Turkiye, 7th – 12th September, and the 2026 European Junior Aquatics Championships, Germany, 7th – 12th July. Athletes with initial qualification times will need to meet selection requirements at follow-up events to confirm their places, ensuring the national directors can assess current form ahead of these fixed dates.
The Irish Open in Bangor continues through to Sunday, with more swimmers still chasing standards and final opportunities to press their claims. With national and championship records falling and a deep list of qualifiers emerging, the meet has underlined a growing competitiveness across Irish squads and provided tangible momentum as the team prepares for a calendar full of international targets.
