Kilkenny swimmers shine at National Championships

Kilkenny swimmers were on song at the National Championships, delivering a host of excellent swims to bring home medals, personal bests and final berths.

The Cats descended on the Irish Youth and Senior Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in great force as they looked forward to the culmination of 11 months of hard training.

The club got off to a great start with Paddy Cuddihy claiming silver in the (15 year olds) 200m freestyle. Over the same distance Nessa Godden came third in the (16-17) B final while Naomi Trait, representing UCD, won silver in the A final.

In the (16-17) 100m Breaststroke Brendan Pretorius came third in the B final. Maria Godden has reigned supreme in the 200m backstroke over the last few years and duly obliged with a comfortable win. However, the icing on the cake was securing the qualification time for the 2024 World Championships in Doha and the European Short Course Championships later this year.

Other finalists on the opening day were Doug Duffy (200m free) and Seán Morrow (100m breaststroke) who both made B finals.

On day two it was great to see two finalists in the 200m backstroke A final, where Paddy Cuddihy won gold in the (15 year olds) and Darren Yalnazov set a PB (16-17 years). In a show of strength at the event Dan Rohan reached the B final (15 year olds).

Shelby Newsome showed her potential in butterfly reaching the (15’s) A final while Doug Duffy competing at the 15 age group reached the 50m freestyle final. In the 19 and over Butterfly Brogan McAviney won bronze.

The Kilkenny highlight on day three was the family double scored in the women’s 400m freestyle when Nessa and Maria Godden each won gold in the 16 and 18 and over age groups respectively - a fantastic achievement for the Callan natives.

Paddy Cuddihy continued his excellent form with a very comfortable win in the 1,500m freestyle. Maria Godden won the 50m backstroke. Both Aidan Cook and Doug Duffy reached the 100m freestyle B finals while Kilkenny had two representatives in the 200 breaststroke, with Seán Cooke and Brendan Pretorius taking to the water.

On the penultimate day of racing it was the turn of the McAviney brothers to shine. Both Matthew and older brother Brogan raced in their respective 200m butterfly finals (17 years and 19 and over) where they both won silver medals.

In the 15 years age group Paddy Cuddihy showed his freestyle dominance with a win in the 400m. In the same distance Aidan Cook won bronze in the 19 and over final. Former Kilkenny team-mates Naomi Trait and Maria Godden were on the blocks in the 100 free A final, Maria finishing second and Naomi seventh.

The final day of action saw PBs by all Kilkenny swimmers. Darran Yalnazov, Aidan Cook, Paddy Cuddihy and Maria Godden all reached 100m Backstroke A finals, the latter two winning gold.

Nessa Godden continued her fine form when completing a freestyle gold double with victory in the 800m.

Darren Yalnazov has shown real improvements this season and this was highlighted when he also reached the 200IM B final after swimming a PB in the morning heats. Naomi Trait won the 50 fly B final.

Overall it was a fantastic five days of swimming and the Kilkenny swimmers should be really proud of their efforts after a long hard season.

The Kilkenny team in full was Dan Rohan, Doug Duffy, Brendan Pretorius, Seán Morrow, Darren Yalnazov, Nyah Vaughan, Marcus Trait, Seán McGrath, Marcas Bowen, Ethan Kenny, Nessa Godden, Tristan Kenny, Shelby Newsome, Paddy Cuddihy, Erin Morrissey, Dylan Burke, Molly Bollard and Matthew McAviney. Also affiliated to Kilkenny are Maria Godden, Brogan McAviney (National Campus Limerick) and Aidan Cook (Loughborough). Naomi Trait represents UCD but trains regularly with the Kilkenny team.