Swim Ireland’s senior team, including Roscam’s John Shortt, is set to take on Europe’s best when the 2026 European Aquatics Championships get underway in Paris next week.
The event will bring together more than 1,000 athletes across five aquatic disciplines. Pool swimming runs from 10–16 August at the Paris Aquatic Centre, the venue used during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for Diving and Water Polo.
Ireland arrives in Paris following a strong summer of international competition, with a team led by Olympic medallists, world finalists and emerging swimmers continuing to make their mark on the European and world stage.
The team includes Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen, Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry and Olympic finalist Ellen Walshe, alongside an experienced group featuring 2024 European Champion Danielle Hill, recent Commonwealth Games medallist Ellie McCartney, Tom Fannon who set a new Irish mark in the 50m Freestyle last month, Darragh Greene, Victoria Catterson, Eoin Corby, Evan Bailey, Grace Davison, Jack Cassin. John Shortt and Nathan Wiffen. A strong emerging cohort will also represent Ireland, including Matthew Hamilton, Liam Custer, Lottie Cullen, Cormac Rynn, Denis O’Brien, Rosalie Phelan and Adam Bradley, many of whom have delivered personal best performances throughout 2026.
Jack Kelly, Alana Burns-Atkin, Jacob Armon and Danielle Farrell will all make their senior Ireland debuts in Paris.
The Championships provide an important benchmark midway through the Olympic cycle, giving Irish athletes another opportunity to test themselves against Europe’s strongest swimming nations.
National Performance Director Andy Reid spoke ahead of the team departure on Friday “The European Aquatics Championships are one of the most important competitions on the international calendar and provide a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to compete against the very best in Europe. We have a team that combines proven championship performers with exciting young talent, and we are looking forward to seeing them challenge themselves on the continental stage in Paris.”
“Our swimmers have continued to raise standards across the programme over the past year, and we head into these Championships with confidence, ambition and belief in what this group can achieve.”
Ireland’s campaign begins on Monday morning with a busy opening heats session, featuring Liam Custer in the Men’s 400m Individual Medley, Danielle Farrell, Victoria Catterson, Grace Davison and Rosalie Phelan in the Women’s 100m Freestyle, and Matthew Hamilton in the Men’s 50m Butterfly. Lottie Cullen is listed for the Women’s 200m Backstroke, while Eoin Corby, Adam Bradley, Darragh Greene and debutant Jack Kelly line up in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke before Ireland closes the morning programme with the Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay.
Swim Ireland will provide daily updates throughout the Championships, including race reports, results and athlete reaction across its website and social media channels.
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