Connery and Shortt set to represent Ireland on European stage
Galway pair names in swim squads for summer meets in Munich and Paris
Galway will have two swimmers on the international stage later this summer after Swim Ireland named its squads for the 2026 European Aquatics Junior Championships in Munich in July; and the 2026 European Aquatics Championships (50m), which will take place in Paris in August.
Niamh Connery of Sharks SC is in a five-strong squad for the Munich meet, which runs from July 7 to 12. The swimmer - coached by Ross Coll - is set to compete in her third European Junior Championships, and it will be her fourth consecutive year representing Ireland at major summer championships, having made her Irish debut at the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2023.
A month later, Shortt will be part of a 26-strong Irish team that heads to Paris for the senior championships, where he will be joined on the Irish squad by the likes of Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen and Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry; as well as fellow European champions, Ellen Walshe and Danielle Hill.
That senior championships run from August 10 to 16.
Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen, Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry and European champions Ellen Walshe (25m) and Danielle Hill (50m) join Shortt in spearheading Ireland’s largest-ever European Aquatics Championships team,
“To bring an Irish team of this size and quality to the European Aquatics Championships is a significant moment for our programme," said Swim Ireland National Performance Director, Andy Reid.
"We have Olympic and European champions leading the way, athletes looking to convert short course success onto the long course stage, and a strong group of emerging performers gaining valuable championship experience. That blend is critical as we continue building towards LA 2028.
"For this Championships, we incorporated U-23 standards within our senior selection policy, ensuring we capture athletes transitioning from junior to senior level and support their progression more effectively.
"Equally important is the strength of our junior pathway. While teams are smaller this year, we are encouraged by the depth building in our younger cohorts, reflecting the excellent work being done across our clubs."