LARNE’S Danielle Hill starred on the opening evening of the Irish Open Swimming Championships with an Olympic Qualification Time (OQT), Irish and Championship Record of 59.11 in the 100m Backstroke. Danielle also became the first Irishwoman under the one-minute mark in the event.
Hill now joins Daniel Wiffen, Ellen Walshe and Mona McSharry who have already achieved the OQT for Paris.
With a target of 59.99, the 24-year-old was comfortably under to qualify for her second Olympic Games, the time puts her in prime position for a place on the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay.
Speaking after the race, Danielle said: “We all know what happened last time in Tokyo. I was so narrowly close, I think this time, I had that 59.99, the first Irish woman to go sub 1 minute, and I just wanted to cement it, I didn’t want any questions asked, I just went for it and thankfully dipped under.”
On qualifying for her second Olympic Games, Danielle added: “It’s pretty special I have to say, it’s probably a little bit more special than the first, because I know where I’ve been the past two or three years, I know where I was nine months ago, ready to walk away from the sport. This to me is a relief, but I’m ready to go again now.”
