Cooney Takes Gold in Leisureland

November 19, 2010

The spotlight will be on Leisureland, Galway this weekend for the Irish National Short Course Swimming Championships, which take place from Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 November at the Galway Failte Salthill Ltd pool facility in Leisureland. The last time a National Swimming Championship was held in Leisureland was in 2003, when Swim Ireland hosted the famous annual Leisureland International Meet, which saw World Champions Therese Alshammer, Mark Foster and Jon Olsen line out to display their talents.

A total of 41 teams will be in action in Salthill this weekend, including swimmers from Dubai and from the UK as well as Irish clubs representing all four provinces. Double Olympian and Olympic semi-finalist Andrew Bree helped launch the event yesterday at a press launch held at BB’s restaurant in Leisureland, also attended by the Mayor of Galway City, Michael Crowe, the Chairman of the Board of Leisureland, Councillor Donal Lyons, Swim Ireland Chairperson Mr. Tony Farrell and Swim Ireland’s National Performance Director Mr. Peter Banks.

Olympian Aisling Cooney (ESB) tested the waters, ahead of her trip to Eindhoven, Holland next week where she will compete at the European short course Swimming Championships. Cooney won the 50m backstroke ahead of Aer Lingus teammates Amy McVeigh and Niamh McDonnell. Cooney clocked 28.49 – just .22 outside her own Irish record time.

Other winners on day one included Niamh Bryson, in the 50m breaststroke (35.08), William Ensor(Westwood) in the 50m backstroke (27.40), Conor Turner (Aer Lingus) in the 1500m freestyle (15.47.78) and Niamh O’Sullivan (Kingdom) in the 800m freestyle (8.52.13).

Full Results – Day 1:

Men’s 50m breaststroke: 1^st D. Sweeney Sunday’s Well 30.78, 2^nd C. Fitzgerald Ennis 31.25, 3^rd C. Dowling Kilkenny 31.34. Women’s 50m breaststroke: 1^st N. Bryson Temp 35.08, 2^nd J. Coll Limerick Masters 35.15, 3^rd A. Todd City of Belfast 35.18. Men’s 50m backstroke: 1^st W. Ensor Westwood 27.40, 2^nd C. Dowling Kilkenny 27.48, 3^rd L. Galloway Lisburn 27.85.Women’s 50m backstroke: 1^st A. Cooney ESB 28.49, 2^nd A. McVeigh Aer Lingus 30.07, 3^rd N. McDonnell Aer Lingus 30.51 Men’s 1500m freestyle: 1^st C. Turner 15.47.78, 2^nd S. Stacey NUIM 16.09.57, 3^rd B. Gibbons Athlone 16.17.53. Women’s 800m freestyle: 1^st N. O’Sullivan Kingdom 8.52.13, 2^nd G. Sweeney Glenalbyn 9.06.64, 3^rd T. Corry Portmarnock 9.09.61.