University of Limerick has celebrated the international success of its high-performance swimmers following a standout year in elite competition.
A homecoming reception to mark the student athletes’ success took place at UL.
John Shortt enjoyed a breakthrough year across both junior and senior ranks. At the European Junior Championships, he won gold in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m backstroke, before reaching the semi-finals of the 200m backstroke at the World Championships in Singapore.
Shortt, a first year Bachelor of Arts student, continued that top form at the World Junior Championships in Otopeni, where he claimed gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke and bronze in the 50m backstroke. His season finished strongly in Lublin, where he won gold in the 200m backstroke at the European Short Course Championships, setting both a Championship and World Junior record, and reached the final of the 100m backstroke.
Hosted by University of Limerick President Professor Shane Kilcommins, the event recognised the achievements of its high-performance sport scholar swimmers following a successful year in 2025 on the international stage.
Six of UL’s swimmers were celebrated, having won 15 international medals in 2025, including five gold, five silver and five bronze medals across World, European and World Junior competitions.
Speaking at the reception, University of Limerick President Professor Shane Kilcommins said:
“What these swimmers achieved on the World and European stage is exceptional, and it speaks volumes about their talent, perseverance, and daily commitment to excellence. To win 15 international medals while balancing the demands of full-time study is no small feat.
“At UL, we are immensely proud to provide an environment where student‑athletes can truly unleash their best when supported by our Sports Scholarship Academy, our academic colleagues, and our long‑standing partnership with Swim Ireland. These athletes are not only outstanding competitors; they are ambassadors for the values of this university and role models for the next generation of Irish sport.”
Among those honoured was Róisín Ní Ríain, who delivered an outstanding performance at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore. A third year BSc in Pharmaceutical and Industrial Chemistry student, she secured three silver medals in the 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke and 400m freestyle, and added bronze in both the 200m individual medley and 100m butterfly.
Ellie McCartney also impressed at European and world level. She won gold in the 200m individual medley, silver in the 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m breaststroke at the European Under 23 Championships in Šamorín. Ellie, a third year BSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences student, later reached the final of the 200m breaststroke at the World Championships in Singapore and was a finalist in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the European Short Course Championships in Lublin.
Eoin Corby, a PhD student in Engineering, claimed silver in the 200m breaststroke at the European Under 23 Championships and followed that with a semi-final appearance at the European Short Course Championships.
Jack Cassin and Cormac Rynn also featured strongly in European competition. Cassin, a fourth year Bachelor of Business Studies student, reached the final of the 200m butterfly at the European Under 23 Championships and the semi-finals at the European Short Course Championships, while Rynn, a second year BSc in Biological and Chemical Sciences student, was a finalist in the 400m freestyle at the European Under 23 Championships.
Also in attendance was Denis O'Brien, a sports scholar and rising Irish international swimmer selected for the 2026 European Aquatics Championships and aiming for the LA 2028 Summer Olympics. Denis is a first year student of Engineering.
UL’s Sports Scholarship Academy supports high performance student athletes to excel in their sport and studies, with its swimmers benefiting from UL’s high-performance partnership with Swim Ireland.
The success of the athletes is underpinned by a long-established partnership with Swim Ireland, with the UL Sport Arena serving as one of the organisation’s key National Centres for high-performance swimming.
Assistant Head Coach at Swim Ireland National Centre, Limerick, Carlo Boni said the environment at UL is key to athlete development.
“The UL environment is genuinely unique: the proximity of training, living and studying on campus, supported by a strong partnership between UL, UL Sport and Swim Ireland, creates conditions that allow athletes to perform at the highest level without compromising their academic ambitions.
“The group isn’t resting on it, 2026 brings the European Aquatics Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the European Para Swimming Championships, and beyond that, Los Angeles 2028 is already shaping how we’re thinking about development. This environment has a big role to play in getting them there.”
Featured Image: (back row, left to right): Jack Cassin, Eoin Corby, Cormac Rynn, Denis O’Brien and John Shortt; (front row, left to right): Ellie McCartney and Róisín Ní Ríain. Photo (c) Brian Arthur
