Ellen Keane was inducted into the Swim Ireland Hall of Fame at the organization’s 2024 Awards ceremony earlier this month. Keane retired at the conclusion of the 2024 Paralympic Games after an exceptional career with five Paralympic Games appearances.
Keane was Ireland’s youngest athlete when she competed at the 2008 Paralympics. She earned her first Paralympic medal in Rio, winning bronze in the 100 breaststroke SB8. Five years later in Tokyo, she struck gold, swimming 1:19.32 to win the 100 breaststroke SB8 by .39 seconds and stand at the top of the Paralympic podium for the first time in her career.
She owns four Para World Championships medals—two silver and two bronze. While the majority of the medals she’s won throughout her career are for her breaststroke prowess, she also won bronze at the 2013 Para World Championships in the 100 butterfly S9. At her final Para World Championships last year, Keane won silver in the women’s 100 breaststroke SB8.
Keane shared her thoughts on her induction on Instagram, writing “reflecting on an emotional moment Friday night being inducted into the Swim Ireland hall of fame. My whole life has been about swimming and being in the water, and it is such an honour to be recognised by Swim Ireland like this. Thank you.”
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Daniel Wiffen was among the athletes who collected one of the major Swim Ireland Awards at the ceremony. Wiffen was named Swimmer of the Year for his impressive year which culminated in him becoming the Olympic champion in the 800 freestyle and the bronze medallist in the 1500 freestyle.
Since the 2023 Swim Ireland Awards, Wiffen has also won double gold in the 800/1500 at the 2024 World Championships and triple gold in the 400/800/1500 freestyle at the 2023 European Short Course Championships. At that meet, Wiffen broke the men’s short course 800-meter freestyle world record, swimming 7:20.46.
The Para Swimmer of the Year award went to Róisín Ní Riain for her performance at the Paris Paralympic Games. After winning five medals including two golds at the 2024 European Championships, Ní Riain carried her momentum to Paris, winning two Paralympic medals. She earned silver in the 100 backstroke S13 and bronze in the 200 IM SM13.
Jake Passmore won the Diver of the Year Award for his efforts at the June World Championships and July Olympic Games. Passmore was also a finalist at April’s World Cup Super-Final.
Complete List Of Winners:
- Club of the year: Sundays Wells SC
- Performance of the year (Swimming): Daniel Wiffen, Loughborough/Larne SC
- Performance of the year (Diving): Jake Passmore, City of Leeds
- Performance of the year (Para swimming): Róisín Ní Riain, National Centre Limerick
- Performance coach of the year: John Szaranek, National Centre Limerick/Brian Sweeney, Templeogue SC
- Performance Pathway athlete of the year: John Shortt, National Centre Limerick/Grace Davison, Ards SC, Dearbhaile Brady, Limavady SC, Curtis Coulter, Ards SC
- Club coach of the year: Ciaran Doyle, Drogheda SC
- Volunteer of the year (Connacht): Natasha Walshe, Ballina SC
- Volunteer of the year (Leinster): Fionnuala O’Neill, Trojan SC
- Volunteer of the year (Munster): Pat McTigue, Kingdom SC
- Volunteer of the year (Ulster): Catherine Hanratty, South Lake Masters SC
- Open water swimmer of the year: Dave Berry, Sandycove SC
- Masters swimmer of the year: Jane Jolly, Cork Masters SC
- Outstanding contribution to aquatics: Peter Conway, Aer Lingus Masters SC/Keith Lynch, St Vincents WPC, Ian Wright, Bangor SC, Aqualine
- Disability swimmer of the year: Gregory Walsh, South Lake Masters SC
- Official of the year: Michael Murphy, Dolphin SC
- Water polo player of the year (Male): Matthew Hynes, St Vincents WPC
- Water polo player of the year (Female): Meabh McGurk, Diamonds WPC
- Presidents Award: Linda Stoops, Swim Ulster
- Hall of Fame: Ellen Keane, NAC
