Danielle Hill earns Olympic consideration time
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Hill, coached by Peter Hill at Larne Swimming Club, needed to meet or swim faster than the FINA ‘A’ time of 1:00.25 to earn an Olympic consideration for Tokyo 2020 and had hit 1:00.34 at the Irish National Team Trials in April, lowering her own Irish Senior Record at the time.
Powering through the final 50m at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre on Thursday, the 22-year-old from Carnmoney bettered that time again, setting potentially the most important Irish Senior Record of her career.
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Hide AdShe said: “Anyone who knows me, knows I am not an emotional person. I don’t show emotion often, so these tears are real, and it wasn’t just about me tonight, that was for the whole Larne team.
“They have had the toughest 12 months, and when we joined back in with them, they treated Conor (Ferguson) and I like we were normal, and it was so nice to be around them again. That was most definitely for those guys.”
She added: “I’m so relieved, and so happy. I know there is a faster time in there, but it still did the job.”
As well as 100m Backstroke, Hill also owns the 50m and 100m Freestyle Irish Senior Records and 50m Backstroke. Her time of 25.19 in 50m Freestyle makes her Ireland’s fastest ever female swimmer.
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