McCartney strikes gold in Scotland ahead of World Aquatic Championships

Enniskillen swimmer, Ellie McCartney, had the perfect warm-up for the upcoming World Aquatic Championships with an outstanding performance at the Scottish National Short Course Championships in Edinburgh's Royal Commonwealth Pool.

Representing the National Centre Limerick, McCartney dominated her signature event, the 200m breaststroke. After qualifying as the top seed in the preliminaries, she faced a highly anticipated duel against British champion Kara Hanlon. Despite trailing at the halfway mark, McCartney's exceptional turns and powerful finish earned her the gold medal with a time of 2:21.21.

This achievement stands as the second-fastest time ever recorded by an Irish female swimmer in the event, behind only Olympic medallist Mona McSharry. Even more remarkable was McCartney's rapid improvement, having shaved an extraordinary four seconds off her previous time in under a month.

McCartney also secured a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke and achieved a personal best in the 100m freestyle, rounding out an exceptional meet.

Her standout performances came as she was officially named to the Swim Ireland Senior National Panel, joining 12 other elite Irish swimmers.

This selection underscores her status as a key prospect for the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympics, reflecting Swim Ireland's confidence in her potential on the international stage.

The Edinburgh meet served as crucial preparation for McCartney and her teammates ahead of the World Short Course Championships in Budapest this week.

With her impressive performances and national recognition, McCartney is hitting her stride at the perfect time, setting the stage for an exciting future in the pool.