HE’S the teenage sensation of Irish swimming – and he’s from Galway.

16-year-old John Shortt went into the record books last week with a stunning performance at the European Junior Championships in Belgrade.

A member of the Bluefin SC based in Kilcornan, Shortt smashed the Irish Senior and Junior record for the 200m backstroke in the final.

From Roscam on the outskirts of Galway city, his magnificent swim came within 0.26 of a second of securing a European medal.

Shortt’s record of 1:58.65 was the fourth occasion he has dipped under the two-minute mark, and three of those times were posted at the Europeans.

His target now is to qualify for the Paris Olympics in July/August of 2024 but needs to improve his 200m backstroke time by a second to feature at the ultimate sporting arena.

Shortt will have three opportunities to reach the target. First up is the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan later this month, followed by a similar event in Doha in February of 2004 before the Irish Open Championships in the NAC, Dublin next April.

The talented Galway teenager made the big breakthrough when winning the 200m backstroke gold medal at the Irish Open Championships earlier this year.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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