In a superb display of aquatic prowess, Ellie McCartney, the Ards club swimmer, showcased a stellar performance at the Aspiring Champions Meet held last weekend at the University of Limerick Sports Arena. The 18-year-old participated in six challenging events over two days, emerging with five gold medals and one silver medal.

The meet commenced with the 800m Freestyle, marking Ellie’s first short course attempt at this distance. She cruised through the waters, clocking an admirable time of 8:54.70 and clinching a second-place finish.

Ellie effortlessly claimed her first gold in the 100m Breaststroke, only to follow it up with another top podium finish in the 100m Freestyle, where she recorded a new personal best of 56.18.

On the second day. Ellie, dove into the 200m Individual Medley (IM). Though she narrowly missed her personal best, the performance was golden, earning her a third gold medal. The 100m IM unfolded as a scene of triumph for the UL student, who bettered her time by a remarkable 1.26 seconds, securing a fourth gold.

In her final race, McCartney reigned supreme in the 100m Butterfly, where she torpedoed past her competitors, outpacing the runner-up by over five seconds to bag her fifth gold of the meet.

Ellie McCartney’s super weekend sets her up nicely for the season ahead as she continues to train with the National Centre Limerick under the tutelage of head coach Jon Szaranek.