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Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.
Irish Olympian Grace Davison had a standout performance at last week’s Irish Open Championships in Bangor, setting new personal best times in all five events she raced, highlighted by her swim in the 100 freestyle.
The 19-year-old dropped a time of 54.45 in the prelims, lowering her own Irish Record of 54.80 set at last summer’s European Junior Championships, where she won the bronze medal.
Davison went on to win the final in 54.88, solidifying her spot in the event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and European Championships.
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Relative to last year’s record swim, Davison was slightly quicker on both 50s during the prelims in Bangor, and then had her fastest opening 50 ever in the final before falling off a touch coming home.
Split Comparison
| 2025 Euro Junior Final | 2026 Irish Open Prelims | 2026 Irish Open Final |
| 26.55 | 26.35 | 26.27 |
| 54.80 (28.25) | 54.45 (28.10) | 54.88 (28.61) |
In addition to her 100 free record, Davison also won the 200 free in a personal best time of 1:59.52, which came after Ellen Walshe set a new Irish Record of 1:58.72 in the prelims before scratching the final.
Davison also set PBs en route to runner-up finishes in the 50 free (25.49), 100 back (1:00.61) and 200 back (2:12.37) in Bangor.
Davison represented Ireland at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, swimming on the women’s 4×100 free relay and anchoring the 4×100 medley relay.
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