The 42

ELLEN WALSHE HAS become the first Irish woman ever to win a European Short Course title by winning the 200m butterfly on the final night of the 2025 championships in Poland. 

Walshe recovered from a slow start to come roaring home, taking gold in a time of 2:03.24, a new personal best. 

Walshe found herself seventh of eight finalists after the first 25 metres, and was still sixth – and 1.67 seconds from the lead – at the 125-metre mark. But then came the comeback: she sliced the gap to the lead to just 0.33 going into the final 25 metres, and was eventually first to touch the wall, 0.31 seconds ahead of Denmark’s Helena Rosendahl Bach. Italy’s Anita Gastaldi took the bronze medal. 

Walshe’s heroics caught up with her 45 minutes later, as she faded following a strong start to the 400m individual medley final to finish in seventh place.

“It was a stacked field and it was going to be who had the better back end”, said a jubilant Walshe after her victory. “You just had to hang on for 150 and bring it home in the last 50, and that’s what I did. I just kicked like fuck!

“You have to stick to your own process, and not race anyone else’s race. I know the back end can be strong, it’s definitely a weakness I have, I need to be out quicker and help myself through the back end rather than hurting so much, but it worked tonight. 

“You have to enjoy these moments as they don’t come very often. It’s my first gold medal on the international stage as it’s over very quick. It was great to have the flag and see my parents in the crowd. It was pretty cool. It was straight after the 400 which was slightly disappointing, so you just try to bin it very quickly and remind yourself what you have achieved a few minutes before. It was super special and you don’t get it very often.”

Walshe’s gold medal further decorates Ireland’s most successful appearance at these championships. In addition to Walshe’s silver medal in the 200m individual medley earlier this week, Daniel Wiffen won a trio of medals – including gold at the 1500m – while Jon Shortt won gold in the in the 200m backstroke, setting a new world junior record in the process. Evan Bailey meanwhile secured bronze in the 200m freestyle final. 

Ireland finish fifth in the overall medal table, behind only Italy, Netherlands, Great Britain, and Germany. 

Written by Gavin Cooney and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.