ENNISKILLEN’S Ellie McCartney is through to the 200m Breaststroke Final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
McCartney had the swim of her life as she stormed into the 200m Breaststroke Final, her first World Final on her debut World Championships (50m).
Competing for Ireland, Ellie posted a lifetime best 2:23.79 for third place in her heat and progresses as the sixth seed for Friday’s final at 1.00pm.
The 20-year-old, who started the year with a best time of 2:26.76, knocked .25 of a second off her best time of 2:24.04 from the European U23 Championships in Slovakia in June, where she won a silver medal, and was over a second faster than her heat swim of 2:25.22.
A delighted McCartney said after the race: “I’m ecstatic. You know, this is what we train for, we train to perform in the heats, make it through the semis and progress through the rounds. And I think that’s really been a strength this year that I’ve been able to progress through each of the rounds.
“So, to make it to a World Championship Final in my first worlds, it’s really exciting.
“I think here it’s just been so unpredictable, you know, you get top two, top three in a semi-final and you’re not guaranteed a final, so it’s important that you just put your best foot down and whether or not I made the final, I would be able to walk away satisfied just because, you know, I put my best foot forward and PB’d, you know, I know I’ve left everything in the pool.’
On Friday’s Final she added: “Oh, it’s going to be such an eye-opening experience. You know, I’ve never been at this level, never mind in a final at this level. So, I think just, I have to thank my coaching staff for getting me this far and the support they’ve had and I’m very thankful to have my coach alongside me here, which always does help things.”
Ellie has been supported in her career by the Mary Peters Trust.
Ellie on way to final
