The Ulster Schools Interprovincial Team travelled to the National Aquatic Centre on Saturday 13th April with an exciting contingent of some of their best age group athletes to take on Leinster, Munster and Connacht for the annual Irish Schools Interprovincial Championships. Selection for the team was based on the Swim Ulster Schools Cup & Championships Gala in October. Local swimmer, Ellie McCartney, represented Enniskillen Royal Grammar School at the ‘Ulsters’ and won the 100m Breaststroke title along with the 200m Individual Medley title and therefore was selected for the second year in a row.
The gala was extremely tight the whole way through with Ellie McCartney contributing maximum points in all her events. The Year 10 pupil swam in the Junior Section and set a new personal best in the 100m Breaststroke, 1:13.05, and won the event by six seconds from her nearest rival. This was followed up with another win the 200m Individual Medley. Ellie was then joined by three of her Ulster Schools friends to swim the 4 x 50m Medley Relay and swam the breaststroke leg finishing in a team time of 2:03.60 – just 3 seconds off the Ulster Junior Record.
Unfortunately, these results were not enough to help Ulster retain the trophy and when the gala was finished Leinster beat Ulster by just one point. A disappointing result but a fantastic event, well organised and with a tremendous atmosphere. More fabulous experience for Ellie McCartney who, with the Swim Ireland Performance Pathway Squad, flew out the following morning for a 6 day off-shore training camp at Mount Kelly in Tavistock, England.
