Roscam's John Shortt was first home in the 50m backstroke in the 'B' Finals at the Sette Colli swimming meet at the Foro Italico in Rome on Friday (26th June 2026), in a time of 25.53".
In the women’s equivalent, Lottie Cullen secured second place in 29.07. There were further runner-up finishes for Ellen Walshe in the 200m Freestyle (1:59.18), Daniel Wiffen in the 400m Freestyle (3:50.52), and Ellie McCartney in the 100m Breaststroke (1:08.19).
Ireland’s Mona McSharry claimed a silver medal in the 100m Breaststroke on the opening night. McSharry is part of a 24-strong Irish team using the prestigious Italian meet as final preparation ahead of this summer’s major championships — the Commonwealth Games in July and the European Championships in August.
The Olympic medallist progressed as top seed from the morning heats in 1:06.53 and went quicker in the final, touching in 1:06.30 to secure her first medal of the meet, just behind Italy’s Benedetta Pilato (1:05.85).
Tom Fannon, whose grandfather hails from Galway, narrowly missed the podium, by just five hundredths of a second, in the Men’s 50m Freestyle Final, finishing fourth in a season’s best time of 21.95.
There was also A final action for Danielle Hill in the 50m Backstroke, where she placed eighth in 28.72.
Competition continues on Saturday and Sunday.
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Day 1 Results
(M) 50m Backstroke
John Shortt | 25.91 | B Final 25.23 (1)
Paddy Johnston | 26.48
(W) 50m Backstroke
Lottie Cullen | 29.43 | B Final 29.07 (2)
Danielle Hill | 29.24 | A Final
(M) 400m Freestyle
Daniel Wiffen | 3:54.25 | B Final 3:50.52 (2)
Nathan Wiffen | 4:01.10
Denis O’Brien | 4:10.13
Evan Bailey | 4:00.21
Cormac Rynn | 3:59.18
(W) 200m Freestyle
Grace Davison | 2:00.85
Danielle Farrell | 2:06.92
Ellen Walshe | 2:00.02 | B Final 1:59.18 (2)
(M) 50m Breaststroke
Jacob Armon | 28.59
Adam Bradley | 28.21
Eoin Corby | 28.42
Darragh Greene | 28.29
(W) 100m Breaststroke
Mona McSharry | 1:06.53 | A Final 1:06.30 (2)
Ellie McCartney | 1:09.15 | B Final 1:08.19 (2)
(M) 100m Butterfly
Evan Bailey | 54.32
Jack Cassin | 54.61
Matthew Hamilton | 54.61
(W) 50m Butterfly
Alana Burns-Atkin | 28.45
Rosalie Phelan | 28.10
(M) 50m Freestyle
Tom Fannon | 22.02 | A Final 21.95 (4)
Matthew Hamilton | 24.29
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Ireland National Senior Team 2026 Schedule:
26th – 28th June Sette Colli Swim Meet (Rome, Italy)
24th – 29th July Commonwealth Games (Glasgow)
31st July – 16th August European Aquatics Championships (Swimming & Diving) (Paris)
