It was a particularly busy week for two Irish Para Swimmers after they came home with five medals in at the World Para Swimming European Championships.
On the final day in sunny Madeira, 18 year old Nicole Turner brought the curtain down in spectacular fashion, winning another silver medal in the S6 50m Butterfly Final. She finished with a time of 37.04 seconds.
Turner battled from start to finish with Great Britain athlete Eleanor Robinson, both athletes going out in front. Robinson took home gold with a time of 36.39 seconds, just 0.65 seconds ahead of Nicole.
The Portarlington native wrapped up her week after competing in four events over the seven days, finishing on the podium in all four competitions.
Last Monday, Turner won her first bronze medal in the 200M Individual Medley
On Day 3, she finished in third place in the S6 50m Freestyle, to win her second bronze medal of the week and setting a new personal best.
It got better and better on Day 6, as she finished second in the SB6 100m Breaststroke with a time of 1:42.52 and earned her first silver medal.
The last few days have been a testament to Turner’s talent, as she placed on the podium in all events as well as earning four medals.
Elsewhere, Róisín Ní Ríaín, who has been the busiest of the Irish swimmers this week in the pool, wrapped up her first European Championships in the S13 400m Freestyle, finishing in a time of 4:47.03 in tonight’s final.
An athlete with a very bright future in Para swimming, she will return home with her first medal in a major Para competition, after winning bronze on Day 4 of the event.
Ni Riain withdrew from her 200m Individual Medley for medical reasons, which took place Saturday.
It was one to remember for Limerick’s ni Riain after she made her first debut on the international stage. This was her first debut in a major competition and on an international stage – and she’s only sixteen.
Speaking following her final race of the week, the Limerick teenager said: “Overall, I’m quite happy with it, it was all about coming here and getting the experience of racing internationally, to pick up a medal too is great”.
⚡️ Congratulations to @ParalympicsIRE rising star Roisin Ni Riain!
Fresh from this medal haul in Italy, this morning she officially hit the Minimum Qualifying Standard time in 200m Individual Medley for Tokyo 2021 ?
⏱️ 2:35.34@TeamIreland @sportireland pic.twitter.com/YeAayIeZen
— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) April 22, 2021
It has been a brilliant week for Team Ireland with the Irish Para swimmers returning to the international stage. They will now direct their attention to the summer and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with one male and three female slots already secured. The official team announcement will take place in the coming months.
