2026 IRISH SUMMER NATIONAL YOUTH & SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, July 21st – Saturday, July 25th
- Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre, Blanchardstown, Fingal, Ireland
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Live Results
Earlier we reported how 24-year-old Ellen Walshe nailed a new national record en route to capturing the top seed in the women’s 200m backstroke and tonight she dropped even more time from her new benchmark.
This morning, Walshe ripped a big-time outing of 2:09.98 to establish a new national record in the 200m backstroke.
Walshe’s performance took down the longstanding mark of 2:10.75 Melanie Nocher put on the books at the 2012 European Championships to become the first-ever Irish woman to dip under the 2:10 barrier in the event.
However, Walshe had a little extra in the tank this evening, slicing another .29 off to check in with an even quicker lifetime best of 2:09.69.
| Walshe’s New Record – 2:09.69 | Walshe’s Old Record – 2:09.98 | Nocher’s Old Record – 2:10.75 |
| 30.95 | 31.04 | 30.81 |
| 32.42 | 32.92 | 32.68 |
| 33.32 | 33.00 | 33.59 |
| 33.00 | 33.02 | 33.67 |
Entering this competition, Walshe’s best 200m backstroke performance rested at the 2:10.88 she notched just this past May at the AP Race London International.
The former University of Tennessee standout now owns a remarkable six Irish national records in the long course format.
Ellen Walshe‘s LCM Irish National Records
- 200m free – 1:58.72, 2026
- 200m back – 2:09.69, 2026
- 100m fly – 57.96, 2023
- 200m fly – 2:07.48, 2025
- 200m IM – 2:10.49, 2025
- 400m IM – 4:35.32, 2025
