MCCULLAGH INTERNATIONAL OPEN MEET 2020
- February 20th-23rd
- Bangor Aurora Leisure Complex, Northern Ireland
- 50m (LCM)
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While swimming during this morning’s finals of the 2020 McCullagh International Open Meet in Bangor, 20-year-old Danielle Hill crushed a new Irish national record of 1:00.90 in the women’s 100m backstroke.
After establishing herself as the 4th-seeded swimmer during last night’s prelims in a time of 1:03.82, the Larne swimmer unleashed the fastest time of her career to take the silver behind winner Kathleen Dawson of Scottland. Dawson hit in 1:00.28 to Hill’s 1:00.90.
Entering this meet, Hill held the Irish national record with the 1:01.08 she produced at the 2019 Irish Summer Championships. That mark represented just one of a number of records Hill demolished over the past year.
Just at last year’s Irish Summer Championships, Hill fired off the aforementioned 100m back mark, but also set new Irish standards across the 50m free (25.29), 100m free (56.01), 50m back (27.95) and 50m fly (26.62).
Hill’s record-breaking form is especially head-turning considering what she’s been through. During day 1 of Irish Nationals in July 2018, while using a bungee cord in the swim down pool at Irish Nationals, an awkward touch on the wall resulted in a dislocated elbow and the muscle separating on the bone.
Splits for Hill’s performance tonight included 29.27/31.63 to put her time of 1:00.90 within striking distance of the 1:00.25 FINA ‘A’ Olympic qualification mark.
