For complete coverage of the NCSA All Star Team trip to the Irish Nationals, click here.
DUBLIN, Ireland, April 29. THE unquestioned superstar of the Irish Long Course Nationals has to be Great Britain's Hannah Miley. She began the weekend with a pair of victories. Meanwhile, Barry Murphy put up a sensational time in the men's 50 breast during semis, while the NCSA All Star team produced some exciting finishes.
Miley held off Clare Dawson, 2:00.20 to 2:00.48, in the women's 200 free, while Niamh O'Sullivan finished a distant third in 2:03.63. Youngster Sycerika McMahon, 15, placed fourth in 2:04.06, while NCSA's Maddie Locus was the top finisher for the All Star team with a fifth-place 2:04.43. NCSA's Rachel Naurath turned in a 2:03.60 during prelims, but scratched the finale.
Miley completed a double with a winning time of 2:12.13 in the women's 200 fly. Courtney Otto (2:14.12), Emma Nunn (2:14.36) and Rachel Naurath (2:14.91) all finished under 2:15 for the NCSA All Stars.
The NCSA squad turned in the top three times in the men's 50 breast. Kevin Cordes won the overall title in 29.30, while Charles Katis finished second in 29.49. Nick Manousos wound up third in 29.59. Michael Dawson of Ireland also cleared 30 seconds with a fourth-place 29.98. During the semifinal round, Barry Murphy posted a sterling time of 27.97. He joined just 11 other swimmers to break 28 seconds this year.
NCSA's Emily Fogle beat McMahon to the wall in the women's 50 breast, 32.69 to 32.79. McMahon just missed the Irish junior national record of 32.69 set by Fiona Doyle in 2008. NCSA's Sarah Haase finished third overall in 33.09.
NCSA's Clay Youngquist claimed the men's 200 free crown with a touchout triumph over Great Britain's Andy Hunter, 1:51.56 to 1:51.77. Sean Leahy rounded out the podium touching just behind Hunter with a 1:51.76. Jak Scott concluded a rush to the wall under 1:52 with a fourth-place 1:51.85.
The NCSA All Star team went 1-2 in the men's 200 fly with Matt Barber cruising to victory in 2:04.93. Teammate Matthew Belecanech completed the top two sweep with a second-place effort of 2:06.21. Andrew Meegan grabbed third overall in 2:07.54.
Great Britain's Megan Gilchrist moved into the top 20 in the world rankings this year with a 16:35.45 for the win in the women's 1500 free. Otto picked up her second podium with a second-place 16:47.16, while Naurath remained busy with a third-place 17:01.38.
Meegan flipped his third-place finish in the men's 200 fly into a win in the men's 1500 free with a 15:49.18. That performance stood just three seconds back of his Irish senior national record of 15:46.79 set in February. NCSA's Daniel Thomson touched second in 15:50.23, while teammate Ty Fowler took third in 16:00.07.
In relay competition, the NCSA squad of Sarah Denninghoff, Aja Van Hout, Maddie Locus and Rachel Naurath scorched the women's 400 free relay with a 3:51.55. For some perspective that effort cleared the Irish senior national record of 4:00.28 by a wide margin. NCSA's Haley Sims, Kathryn Kinnear, Kristina Brandenburg and Kiera Janzen placed second in 3:56.54.
The NCSA squad of Thomas Stephens, Douglas Reynolds, Youngquist and Belecanech topped the men's 400 free relay in 3:27.97, a time which also surpassed the Irish senior national record of 3:29.24 set earlier this month. NCSA's Cannon Clifton, Matthew Friede, Samuel Rairden and Eric Solis finished second in 3:30.34.
In semifinal action, Great Britain's Georgia Davis led qualifying in the women's 100 back with a 1:01.47, while NCSA's Philip Aronica topped the men's 100 back round in 58.33.
