Swimming:Gráinne Murphy claimed a magnificent silver medal in the final of the women's 1500 metres final at the European Championships in Hungary this afternoon. The 17-year-old from New Ross in Wexford came home behind Denmark's Lotte Friis, who won in a time of 15.59.13, the fastest in the world this year.
Murphy yet again smashed her Irish record, coming home in a time of 16:02.29, slashing another eight seconds off the record she set in qualifying fastest for the final.
In total Murphy has slashed over 26 seconds off her Irish mark over the two swims, with her final time the second fastest in the world this year and making the Leaving Certificate student a real hope for the 2012 Olympics in London.
It is the first Irish gold medal in swimming at a European Championships in 13 years and Murphy is the only woman behind Michelle Smith de Bruin to medal at the event.
Friis led for the entire race, with Murphy hot on her heals in second position and two-time Spanish Olympian Erika Villaecija Garcia not managing to get past the stubborn Murphy.
“It was really good. I pulled out of the fly this morning to rest and see how it went. I didn’t expect a medal, it’s amazing,” said a delighted Murphy after the race.
“I just kept focusing on my own race — I didn’t allow my head to wander into any of the others lanes to see what they were doing.
“I took a different approach to my race today as I did in the heats yesterday after discussing race tactics with my coach Ronald (Claes), and it really paid off. It felt amazing to win a medal at this kind of meet and standing on the podium beside Lotte Friis just felt brilliant.”
Murphy was unlucky not to medal in the 800 metres freestyle on Thursday as she was cruelly edged out of bronze by just 0.05secs by double world champion Federica Pellegrini on the final touch. Friis also won that race.
And Murphy still has one more chance to add to a memorable week in Budapest, as she goes in the heats of the 400 metres freestyle at 8.30 on Sunday morning
Dubliner Barry Murphy finished in eight position in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke final, his time of 27.99 well outside his qualifying mark of 27.60. Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli took gold in 27.37 ahead of Romania’a Dragos Agache, while the bronze went to Lennart Stekelenburg of the Netherlands.
He also failed in his bid to progress through the heats of the 50 metres freestyle, coming home seventh in his heat in a time of 23.06.