Mcmillan a gem who can sparkle in Tokyo
Bangor swimmer just eight hundredths shy of qualifying time
WITH Tokyo 2021 clearly on his mind and having been just 17 hundredths off the FINA A Olympic qualifying time when he set a new 200m freestyle Irish record on Saturday, last night Jack McMillan went all out in the first half of the 400m freestyle final.
The Bangor swimmer was rewarded for his efforts, setting another Irish record of 1:47.10 and now needs to shave just .08 off that time to qualify for the Games at the Irish Open Championships in April.
Loughborough’s Daniel Wiffen ultimately won the 400m final in 3:58.42.
“I just felt like I could give it another go because it was so close to that FINA A yesterday,” said Mcmillan afterwards.
“I just gave it my best shot. Unfortunately, I was really close again, but it just sets me up well for next year in April time, for trials, for the real thing.
“It’s given me a real confidence boost.”
Mcmillan did take a win on the final evening, with the 20-yearold beating fastest qualifier Jordan Sloan to the wall in the 100m freestyle in 49.55, with Sloan in 49.96.
It proved to be a very encouraging elite Irish Winter Meet for Ulster swimmers who will also have a long-term eye on the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Ards coach Davy Johnston will have left the NAC particularly pleased with how his elite swimmers performed as Ellie Mckibben, Rebecca Reid, Victoria Catterson and Amelia Kane all sparkled.
Mckibben, just 16, was involved in the race of the meet with Rebecca Reid in the 100m butterfly.
At the turn Reid held the lead by just two hundredths of a second and there was little between the two right to the finish with Mckibben taking the touch in 1:03.49, three hundredths of a second ahead of Reid.
“It was a fantastic race. I can’t remember watching a race that was so close from start to finish. Credit to both girls because they pushed each other to personal bests,” said coach Johnston.
“Ellie is really starting to mature as a swimmer. She is one of the most technically gifted swimmers I’ve worked with and she will be looking to try and make the team for the European juniors.
“We have a strong tradition at Ards for international swimmers and I just see it as my job to keep the big Ards wheel turning.”
Catterson, 20, won the 100m and 200m freestyle and Johnston believes she has a very bright future.
“Victoria is one of only a handful of Irish girls who have gone under two minutes for the 200m free and the others are Irish swimming legends such as Grainne Murphy, Sycerika Mcmahon and Melanie Nocher, so that shows you the ability she has,” added Johnston, who also has high hopes for 17-yearold Amelia Kane, a winner in the 200m butterfly and 400m free.
“Amelia is one of the best athletes I’ve ever coached, she would run through a wall.
“As a coach I have to temper that mindset slightly but it is a great quality to have.”
Johnston’s son Paddy set a new Ulster senior record for the 200m butterfly when he clocked 2:01.44, behind winner Brendan Hyland.
In the session on Saturday, Darragh Greene added the 200m breaststroke to his 100m success.
Greene, who will also be hoping to be in Tokyo, touched in 2:11.09.
Eoin Corby (National Centre Limerick) was second in 2:13.24, breaking his own Irish junior record in the process, making it a third junior record of the weekend for the 18-year-old who had a previous best of 2:13.35 from last year.
‘We have a strong international traditon at Ards’