Gráinne Murphy made a triumphant return to Irish domestic swimming as she powered her way to victory in the women’s 800 metres freestyle on the opening day of the Irish Open meet at the NAC in Dublin.

The 2012 Olympian was competing for the first time since the 2013 Irish short course nationals . The 22-year-old, who is now training in France, was never really threatened as she won in a time of 8.43.37.

Irish record

It’s a time that is well outside her own Irish record and she faded somewhat in the back end of the swim, but she will be happy to be back competing in

Ireland

again.

The expected battle between Murphy and 14-year-old Antoinette Neamt didn't materialise as the youngster was beaten into 4th by two visiting US college swimmers, Kendall Brent and Lindsay Stone.

Murphy and Neamt were also in action in the final of the women’s 200 freestyle but finished well down in a race dominated by US swimmers, who took all three steps of the podium.

The gold medal went to 17-year-old Katherine Drabot in 2.00.07.

Alex Murphy of UCD became the 4th Irish swimmer to make the world championships in Kazan in Russia when he won the men’s 50m breaststroke in 27.56 seconds.

Nineteen-year-old Murphy joins Fiona Doyle and Sycerika McMahon in the Ireland team. Neither Doyle nor McMahon are competing at the NAC this week, preferring to continue their build-up at their respective bases in Calgary in Canada and in Texas. Chris Bryan has also qualified for Kazan.

Russia qualification

Tallaght’s Brendan Hyland, who swam for Ireland in last years Europeans, was hoping to go under his own Irish record in the final of the men’s 200 metres butterfly as he continued his bid to qualify for the world championships in Russia this August.

However, the 20-year-old posted a time of 2.00.29, which was almost two-and-a-half seconds outside the qualification time.

It was good enough to take the gold medal, but not sufficient to make the Irish team for Kazan.