Wiffen Bags Freestyle Bronze, Walsh Fourth in Medley in Rome

Paris qualified Daniel Wiffen and Ellen Walshe closed out their racing preparations ahead of the Paris Olympic Games with a third and fourth place finish at the Sette Colli Meet in Rome on Sunday.

Wiffen, just off a three-week training camp, and competing in his fourth race in three days, took bronze in the 1500m Freestyle Final in 14:53.39.

Speaking after the race the Loughborough swimmer said ‘I’m happy with the time, it is an in-season best so I can’t ask for more than that. Happy I came third, I died a bit at the end, but I’m happy with the race plan and it actually felt pretty good.’

Following her Irish Record in the 400m Individual Medley on Saturday, Ellen Walshe posted her second fastest time ever in the 200m Medley on Sunday to finish fourth in the A Final in 2:11.77.

Commenting after the race Walshe said ‘It’s nice to be back down to 2:11, coming into Paris it’s a nice place to be. It would have been good to be quicker this morning because it’s going to be quick to get into the semi-final in Paris, but going out there tonight, it was a little bit windy I think, so 2:11 it’s a nice job. I think the 400m last night was definitely kind of a surprise to get my hand on the wall, and I think feeding off that you do have a lot of fatigue in the body, I won’t have that at the Olympics, I have four days between both races so hopefully I’ll be able to come back stronger in the 200 IM heat there.’

Also, in action in today’s finals, Victoria Catterson, swimming the 200m Backstroke B Final, was fifth in 2:16.72 while Max McCusker clocked 24.39 to finish eighth in the 50m Butterfly B Final.

Day 3 Results – Sette Colli International

Women 50m Freestyle                      Erin Riordan – 26.88 (52)

Women 200m Backstroke                 Victoria Catterson – 2:16.80 (13), FB 2:16.72 (5)

Men 50m Butterfly                             Max McCusker – 24.18 – (17), FB 24.39 (8)

Women 200m IM                                Ellen Walshe – 2:14.16 (6), FA 2:11.77 (4)

Men 1500m Freestyle                        Daniel Wiffen – 14:53.39 (3)

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