John Shortt was crowned the best 200m backstroke swimmer in Europe on Wednesday night, and he has a golden case to be regarded as the world’s best after claiming the title in a new world junior record.

The Roscam teenager is the rising star of Irish swimming, and he smashed the national record not once, but twice, on his way to ascending to the top of the podium at the European Short-Course Championships which are being held in Lublin, Poland.

Having made a splash in junior competitions up until now, including claiming both the 2025 European and World Junior titles, this was the city native’s first senior international medal, and he was on track yesterday to add to that tally after securing his place in last night’s semi-finals in the 100m backstroke.

He won his 200m heat on Tuesday morning in a time of 1min 50.65secs, breaking the Irish senior and junior record of 1min 51.37secs he had set a week earlier.

He progressed to the semi-final in fourth overall, but went even faster later that evening, coming home in a time of 1mins 48.84secs, the only swimmer across the two semi-finals to dip below 1 minute 49 seconds to advance as top seed for the final.

In what was a sensational performance in Wednesday’s final, the 18-years-old set a new World Junior, European Junior, and Championship record of 1mins 47.89secs, breaking Russian Kliment Kolesnikov’s time of 1mins 48.02secs which had stood since 2017.

He stuck to his race plan to perfection, tailing Mewen Tomac from France for the first six of the eight lengths of the 25m pool before making his move at the 150m mark to touch home in 0.73 of a second ahead of the Frenchman.

“I’m just really proud, you know,” Shortt said after the final.

“I’d be a massive liar if I said I didn’t think I had that in me. I honestly didn’t really think I was going to lose that. I just felt something last [Tuesday] night, where I just felt unbeatable and, you know, now it’s just pride, it’s just washing over me now and I just honestly can’t believe it, it’s amazing.

“I’ve won medals in the past before, but that’s at junior level and now I’m with the big boys and I don’t know, I stood with my heart on my sleeve, you know, I’m a passionate person, I’m so passionate for this flag that’s wrapped around me,” he said of the Irish tricolour draped across his shoulders.

After receiving his medal, Shortt said he had chills when hearing Amhrán na bhFiann ring out around the stadium.

“I absolutely love that national anthem, it gives me chills every single time. I’m proud to be standing there as an Irishman with a gold medal around my neck, singing the national anthem,” he said.

He was back in the pool yesterday for the 100m backstroke, and he came through yesterday morning’s heats without any difficulty, finishing second in heat three in a time of 50.84 seconds to make last night’s semi-finals, a time that was just outside the Irish Junior record of 50.78 that he set at the Munster Championships (25m) two weeks ago.

“I’m really good, you know, this morning was really just about kind of getting back into it and coming down off that really big high from last night,” he said after yesterday morning’s heat.

“But you know I’ve got a really good group of people around me, just keeping me centred, and to make sure that I remain focused on the fact that we still have another four days of racing.

“So, you know, all this morning was all just getting in and making sure I’m doing my skills right and then, you know, the big effort will come tonight [Thursday] and tomorrow evening,” he said – the 100m final is due to be held today just after 6pm Irish time.

Pictured: John Shortt reacts after winning the European 200m backstroke in a new World Junior record time. Photo: INPHO/Andre Masini.