Lee Kelleher's seventh placed finish in the semi-finals of the women's 100 metres individual medley was the high point of an otherwise disappointing day for Ireland's swimmers at the European Short Course championships in Riesa, Germany.
In truth, Kelleher was always going to make the semi-final, as only 17 competitors took part in the event and one of those, Zampia Melachroinou of Greece, was disqualified, guaranteeing the Irish swimmer a place in the last 16.
The 20-year-old from Sunday's Well in Cork finished in seventh place in her semi-final in a time of one minute 5.17 seconds - an overall ranking of 14th.
Kelleher and Julie Douglas had earlier failed to qualify from the heats of the 50 metres butterfly, while William Carey was placed a distant 44th of 47 swimmers in the men's 100 metres freestyle.
Andrew Bree was due to compete in the ultra-demanding 400 metres individual medley, but withdrew, deciding instead to do a two-day training stint with his coach from Tennessee in preparation for his main focus, the men's 200 metres breastroke tomorrow.
"My stroke is well suited to the 200. I'll get two days' training in here and go for it on Sunday," said Bree. "We decided that it wouldn't be wise to swim the 400 IM as there is a couple of things I need to work on before Sunday's heats. I was pleased with my 100 breastroke times on Thursday, considering that I'm not shaved and tapered for this meet. It's just a case now of tweaking one or two things and going for it."
The race of the night on day two of the four-day meet was the women's 800 metres freestyle where Eva Risztov of Hungary just held off Switerland's Flavia Rigamonti, the defending champion and in the process broke the 15-year-old European record in a time 8.14.72. Martina Moravcova of Slovakia and Alena Popchanka deadheated in the women's 100 freestyle final in 53.66 seconds.
Three Irish swimmers will see action today, the third day of competition, with Michael Williamson in the heats of the men's 50 metres breastroke and Lee Kelleher in the women's 100 metres butterfly.
After her excellent sixth place in the women's 50 metres breastroke Emma Robinson will line-up on the blocks for the 100 metres event later this morning.
