Sport

Chris Bryan finishes in top 10 in 25km swim

Clare man faded over the latter part of the demanding event which takes over five hours

Barry Murphy get his 100m breaststroke campaign underway at the European Swimming Championships in Berlin. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Barry Murphy get his 100m breaststroke campaign underway at the European Swimming Championships in Berlin. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
John Kenny
Sun Aug 17 2014 - 16:30

Having finished 16th in Thursday's 10km open water swim, Co Clare's Chris Bryan finished ninth in the 25km final at the European Championships in Berlin.

Bryan was locked in the battle for the bronze medal with the race reaching its conclusion but the 24-year-old, who narrowly missed out on qualification for the London 2012 games, faded over the latter part of the demanding event which takes over five hours to complete.

In arrears

The gold medal went to Axel Reymond (France), with Evgenii Drattcev of Russia just 12.4 seconds in arrears. The bronze went to Edoardo Stichino of Italy who finished some four minutes ahead of Bryan.

On Monday morning there are four Irish swimmers in action as attention turns to the pool, with Dubliner Barry Murphy, Dan Sweeney of Sundays Well's and Nicholas Quinn, who is based at the University of Edinburgh, all competing in the heats of the men's 100 metres butterfly to 100m breaststroke.

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Tallaght's Brendan Hyland goes in the men's 50 metres butterfly at the impressive Europa-Sportpark arena with the pool sitting right in the middle of the venue's velodrome.

Murphy (28) won bronze in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke at the European Short Course or 25 metres meet in Herinng in Denmark.

Motivation

“The bronze in the short course in Denmark was a huge boost for my motivation and the programme that I train with,” said Murphy

“The plan is now to get a medal at the Long Course Europeans.

“I was fortunate enough to qualify for the Europeans at the first opportunity so all the focus in training has been to prepare for this meet in Berlin.”

Thus far, however, the International Olympic Council (IOC) have not yet ratified the 50 metres breaststroke, butterfly or backstroke as part of the programme for Rio 2016, although discussions are ongoing.

With that in mind Murphy says he needs to have his full concentration on the 100 breaststroke over the next two years as he prepares for the Brazil Olympics.

“I have to be on my A game from the opening swim. For me the 100 breaststroke is the first event and I have to attack that first morning swim.”