Magnificent Hill wins gold at European Championships

Danielle Hill has won Ireland’s first European long course gold medal in 27 years after claiming victory in the 50-metre backstroke at the European Aquatics Championships.

Hill won the race in a time of 27.73 seconds, beating Greece’s Theodora Drakou by 0.15 seconds. Poland’s Lora Piskorska took bronze.

Michelle Smith was Ireland’s last champion in 1997 when she won two races at the championships.

Hill qualified for her second Olympic Games after breaking her own Irish record in the 100m backstroke with a 27.65 swim at the Irish Open at the NAC in Dublin last month.

She will also compete in the 50m freestyle at Paris, the 50m backstroke not being an Olympic event.

Limerick’s Eoin Corby finished seventh in his first major final, the men’s 200 breaststroke, in 2:12.71.

The gold medal was a dead heat between the Bulgarian Lyubomir Epitropov and Sweden’s Erik Persson in 2.09.45.

Ellie McCartney was fourth in the her 200m breaststroke semi-final in 2:26.28 and qualified a fine fifth overall for tomorrows decider

Conor Ferguson was also fourth in the second semi-final of the men’s 50m backstroke in 25.01 to qualify for the final in seventh place overall.

It takes place on Friday.