2026 GIANT OPEN
- March 20th – March 22nd
- Olympic Aquatic Center, Saint-Denis, France
- LCM (50m)
- SwimSwam Preview #1
- SwimSwam Preview #2
- Entries
- Day 1 Recap
- Live Results
Day two of the 2026 Giant Open in France saw 19-year-old John Shortt lower his own Irish national record en route to winning the men’s 200m backstroke.
The reigning World Junior Championships gold medalist in this event turned in a time of 1:56.07 for the gold, slicing .12 off his former national benchmark of 1:56.19 put up to take the title last year in Otopeni.
Shortt defeated a pair of Greek swimmers this evening, as Apostolos Siskos logged 1:56.79 as the runner-up and the 2024 Olympic silver medalist Apostolos Christou rounded out the podium in 1:57.08.
Shortt’s performance consisted of splits of 27.73/29.99 (57.72)/29.67/28.68 (58.35) to earn the best time of his career.
This isn’t the teen’s first rodeo when it comes to breaking Irish records. Shortt is the existing national standard holder in the SCM 100 back (50.10), 200 back (1:47.89) and 200 IM (1:55.80).
Along with the World Junior medals, his resume includes taking gold at the 2025 European Short Course Championships in the 200m back and 2025 European Junior Championships gold in the 100m back.
