Emma Robinson, of Bangor, shamed Ireland's swimming selectors on the first day of the British Long Course Swimming Championships and European trials in Sheffield yesterday.
Omitted from the Irish squad to compete at the European swimming championships in Istanbul later this month, Robinson (20) qualified for the final of the 50 metre breaststroke in 33.37 seconds.
The qualifying round was dominated by the New Zealand-based British swimmer Zoe Baker, who romped into the final in a new European record of 31.52 seconds.
Baker (23) dominated the final with a vintage performance and won in 31.61.
Robinson, an economics student at Britain's swimming centre of excellence in Bath, was undaunted. She finished third in the final with a time of 33.14.
The Bangor swimmer admitted: "I'm quite chuffed with that swim. It's a new Irish record. It has certainly given the Irish selectors something to think about."
"I'm sorry to be missing the European championships - after this perhaps I may not be too late to be reconsidered. Whatever happens, I will be competing at the next Olympic Games," she said.
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