ARDS swimmer Grace Davison struck bronze in the 100m Freestyle in a new Irish Record and advanced to the 200m Individual Medley Final on the penultimate night of racing at the 2025 European Aquatics Junior Championships.
The Irish crowd did not have long to wait to make some noise as Grace Davison headed to the blocks for the 100m Freestyle Final at the beginning of the session in Slovakia.
Davison sat in fifth place turning into the back 50 metres, and it was from there the Ards girl showed what she is made of and battled through the water in steely fashion to touch the wall in 54.80, pipping GB swimmer Theodora Taylor by .04 of a second to reclaim the European Junior bronze medal she won in Vilnius, Lithuania last year.
At just 17 years old, the time sees Davison stamp her name into the Irish Senior Record books for the first time individually, beating Danielle Hill’s 2022 time of 54.87.
Speaking in the mixed zone, an ecstatic Davison said: “I’m over the moon, the last thing Curtis (coach) said to me before going into the call room was if you knew you’d be walking in here a couple of months ago, you’d be happy.
“I’ve had a hard year in terms of sickness and not enjoying racing, I knew I hadn’t the training behind me to go into trials (Irish Open) and swim well because of it (sickness).
“Those who know me know I like to throw in a good performance, so that was hard. It’s been an uphill battle from there but I’m so glad I didn’t give up; I now have a medal and I’m in another final (200 IM).”
On setting a new Irish Senior Record, Mary Peters Trust supported Davison added: “I’m so pleased, I didn’t know what it was (Irish Senior Record time) until last night after the final, anything could happen tonight, it wasn’t about the time, it was getting the hand on the wall.
“That’s what it was about tonight, it wasn’t about the time at all. I’m 17 and to have an Irish Senior Record, I’m really proud of myself.”
The Paris Olympian on winning back-to-back bronze medals said: “This means a lot more to me than last year, this took a lot more hard work. Last year was a nice surprise with the bronze, this year I knew I could do it.
“The last two months I’ve had the best training block of my life and with the times I’ve been putting down in training, I knew I could go fast but it was about coming here and going fast, which is the hard part.”
It was a whirlwind hour for Davison, who had less than an hour to get ready for the 200m Individual Medley semi-final.
Davison showed the characteristics of a true competitor as she came through the grueling event in 2:15.02, advancing to Sunday’s final as the third fastest qualifier.
Speaking on the race, Davison said: “I’m so excited, I gave it my all, my last 100 metres wasn’t picture perfect, but it wasn’t far off my personal best, that’s even exciting saying that; I know I can go faster.”
Davison has now also secured three qualification times for the World Aquatics Junior Championships in Bucharest next month, in the 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley.
