Walshe lands silver medal in World Championship

ELLEN Walshe served up another stunning performance today to capture silver in the 400m Individual Medley at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Abu Dhabi.

Just hours after setting a new Irish record in that very event when she won her heat, the Templeogue woman shattered her own new national best time by some four seconds when she came home in a time of 4:26.52 to secure Ireland’s second-ever medal at a World Swimming Championships and the first ever in an Olympic event.

Delighted at landing her first senior international medal, Walshe said: “It doesn’t feel real yet.

“I knew it was going to be a fast field. It’s just really nice to walk out for my family, friends and country.

“It feels great to get on the podium. I haven’t been there in quite a while. Tessa [Cieplucha] who won it, is a team mate of mine in University of Tennessee, so it’s really nice that I get to stand on the podium with her later today.”

This medal win marks a brilliant start to what is a very busy programme for Walshe at the Worlds with the 400m IM being followed by the 200m Butterfly and 50m Butterfly on Friday and Saturday respectively.

After that she will turn her attention to both the 200m IM and 100m Butterfly on Monday.

The Dubliner had been hoping to build on her impressive display at the Tokyo Olympics when she produced an exceptionally composed performance that saw her win her 100m Butterfly heat in a time of 59.35 that was just outside her lifetime best of 59.32.