Ellen Walshe from Templeogue Swim Club has been named on the Irish team for the European Aquatic Championships
Photo by ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Ellen named on Irish team for Europeans
ELLEN Walshe has been named on the Irish team ahead of the European Aquatic Championships with 26 swimmers and one diver being selected for the Paris competition this August.
Walshe won gold at the recent European Short Course Championships held last winter in Poland and will be hoping to carry the success from the 25m pool into the 50m.
Walshe stormed to 200m Butterfly gold in 2:03.24 and became the first Irish woman to be crowned a European Short Course Champion, it was the 24-year-old’s first senior international gold, a decade after her first international medal where she won silver at the European Youth Olympic Festival.
The Templeogue swimmer is coming off the back of an impressive run of recent form in 2026 also winning five gold medals at the recent Irish Open held only a few weeks ago.
Other notable athletes called into the side include Olympic Champ Daniel Wiffen, Olympic medallist Mona McSharry and European Champions John Shortt and Danielle Hill.
There are several younger swimmers coming through who also have received selection such as Evan Bailey, Ellie McCartney, Eoin Corby and Grace Davison.
The Championships mark another significant milestone for Irish swimming on the European stage, as athletes continue their journey towards LA 2028.
Speaking on the team announcement, Swim Ireland National Performance Director Andy Reid said
“To bring an Irish team of this size and quality to the European Aquatics Championships is a significant moment for our programme.”
“We have Olympic and European champions leading the way, athletes looking to convert short course success onto the long course stage, and a strong group of emerging performers gaining valuable championship experience.
‘That blend is critical as we continue building towards LA 2028.
“For these Championships, we incorporated U23 standards within our senior selection policy, ensuring we capture athletes transitioning from junior to senior level and support their progression more effectively.”
“Equally important is the strength of our junior pathway.
‘While teams are smaller this year, we are encouraged by the depth building in our younger cohorts, reflecting the excellent work being done across our clubs.”
TAGS Sport
