Swimming & Waterpolo

18 NUIG athletes from the Swimming, Waterpolo and Lifesaving Club attended what was always going to be an almighty weekend of thrills and spills, as 12 colleges battled for the prestigious title of National Swimming and Lifesaving Varsity Champions 2011.

Friday evening and Saturday morning saw NUIG make it to 12 finals and clinch 2 medals, despite the stiff competition from much larger and well established teams like NUIM and UCD. James Caulfield convincingly secured 2nd in a gruelling 200m Individual Medley, while Michael Henry cruised to victory in the 200m Backstroke.

Emer Hurley had a very successful first varsity, making the finals in both her events and only narrowly missing out on bronze in the 50m Freestyle. Molly “Is there another bottle?” Slavin, a visiting student from the US, did NUIG proud by also reaching both her finals and securing 4th in the 200m Breaststroke.

Lifesaving, however, is where the club really excelled. The men’s 200m obstacle relay were pushed to second at the last by TCD. Shauna “Sad Face” Curtin, Tahlia Britton and Lisa Scully-Bog crushed all opposition for a 1st 2nd 3rd in the women’s 50m Manikin Carry. Cathal Codyre got third in the men’s event while Michael got 5th in his first ever lifesaving event. Scully went on to snatch second in the 100m Rescue. The Rope Throw relay finished off the day, with the women’s team, working with military precision, driving home in 1st, while the men’s team, working with a little less than military precision, got 3rd. Thankfully though, no one fell in the pool.

As a result of their performances at the varsities, 3 of the team were selected for the Irish Celtic Nations Team. Congradulations to James Caulfield (Swimming Officer, 200m IM), Emer Hurley (women's 4x50m Freestyle Relay) and our glorious and wonderfull Captain, Colm Richard MacMeanman II (Peace be upon him, men's 4x50 Freestyle Relay). Best of luck on the 2nd of April!

Many thanks and well done to NUIM for running a fantastic Varsities!

Next year's intervarsities will be hosted by UCD in their amazing new sports complex.