Nicola Doran
From Openwaterpedia
Rory Fitzgerald, Kate Steels, and Nicola Doran in front of Pier 36 in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, circa August 2025
Record-setting Irish para swimmer Nicola Doran
Record-setting Irish para swimmer Nicola Doran
Nicola Doran is a 51-year-old Irish pool and open water swimmer from Belfast. A serious accident 5 years ago left her disabled with a 180° open compound fracture of her left ankle, which left her housebound for nearly 2 years. She has a loss of power in her left leg and left arm. Her coach is Ger Kennedy.
Contents
Open Water Swimming Highlights
- She set a new world record for the para swimming Ice Kilometer at the 6th IISA World Championships in Molveno, Italy in February 2025 in 1.94°C water in 17 minutes 47 seconds while winning 5 para swimming age group gold medals at the age of 51.
- She won the para swimming 500m freestyle at the 6th IISA World Championships in Molveno, Italy in February 2025 in 1.94°C water in 8 minutes 45 seconds.
- She won the para swimming 250m freestyle at the 6th IISA World Championships in Molveno, Italy in February 2025 in 1.94°C water in 4 minutes 13 seconds.
- She finished second in the para swimming 50m freestyle at the 6th IISA World Championships in Molveno, Italy in February 2025 in 1.94°C water in 43.73 seconds.
- She participated in Ireland's 250m country relay at the 6th IISA World Championships in Molveno, Italy in February 2025 in 1.94°C water.
- She participated in 50m Para Committee relay at the 6th IISA World Championships in Molveno, Italy in February 2025 in 1.94°C water.
- On 1 February 2025, she set a new para swimming Ice Mile world record at the Clontarf Baths in Dublin, Ireland in 4.57°C water in 29 minutes 57 seconds.
- She achieved the IISA Ice Triple Crown in February 2024, the first para swimmer and the first Irish female to do so.
- She participated in the women's team in the 33.5 km Winter Relay of the English Channel held in January 2024.
- She won 3 para swimming gold medals and 3 para swimming silver medals at the IISA 5th World Championship in Samoëns, France in 3.7°C water in January 2023:
- 1 km in 17:53:48 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall
- 500m in 8:47:25 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall
- 100m in 1:31:97 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall
- On 15 January 2023, she participated in the 4x250m mixed freestyle relay at the IISA 5th World Championship in Samoëns, France together with Patricia Heffernan, Jonty Warneken, and Tina Deeken.
- She was part of the Walrus Ice Challenge in 2021.
- On 26 November 2022 at Wild Water Armagh in Northern Ireland, she completed a 1000m freestyle in 6.50°C water and 0.00°C air temperature at the age of 49 in 17 minutes 15.00 seconds with coach Ger Kennedy.
- On 23 December 2022 at Wild Water Armagh in Northern Ireland, she completed a 1000m freestyle in 3.10°C water and 6.00°C air temperature in 16 minutes 45.00 seconds with coach Ger Kennedy.
- In summer 2023, she became the first person to swim the 65 km length of the Ards Peninsula in 5 stages. She raised money for the Riding for the Disabled Causeway Coast & Glens.
- On 8 October 2023, she won the 12.7 km Kish Lighthouse to Forty Foot event in Dublin, organized by Ger Kennedy, finishing in 5 hours 53 seconds.
- She swam to three podium positions at the IISA 1st European Championship in Oradea, Romania in February 2024.
- 1000m in 18:33:99 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall, and bronze in the overall age group
- 500m in 9:17:58 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall, and bronze in the overall age group
- 250m in 4:21:94 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall, and bronze in the overall age group
- 100m in 1:46:14 to win gold in the para age group and silver in the para overall.
- She completed an Ice Mile in 35:18 at the IISA Lake Wörthersee Swim in Austria with referee Ger Kennedy on 17 February 2023.
- She completed an Ice Mile in 31:58 at the Ice Mile Morocco with referee Ger Kennedy on 25 February 2024 in 4.57°C .water
- She was the first Person to swim the Ards Peninsula in Co Down in Northern Ireland, raising funds for Riding for the Disabled
- She pioneered the following new routes:
- 10.4 km from Holywood to Brompton on 18 May 2023 in 2:59:30
- 11.1 km from Bangor to Donaghadee on 25 May 2023 in 3:54:10
- 13.2 km from Donaghadee to Ballywalter on 12 June 2023 in 3:57:00
- 10.3 km from Ballywalter to Portavogie on 22 June 2023 in 3:51:00
- 13.75 km from Portavogie to Portkelly on 24 August 2023 in 4:37:00
Honors
- In October 2023, she was awarded Swim Ireland Disability Swimmer of the Year.
- In November 2023, she was awarded ILDSA Ulster Swimmer of the Year.
External links
- Sand In Very Unlikely Places
- First Impressions and First Sights of the North Channel
- A Greek First, Ice Swimming on Mount Cholomon
- Nicola Doran Sings While She Swims ... Fast to Fastnet
- Polish and Para Champions in the Mixed Relay at the IISA 1st European Championship
- The Winter Relay Sets The Standard Across the English Channel
- Power of One - English Channel Winter Relay Race
- Ger Kennedy's Believe It Or Not
- The Excitement Has Begun When Winter and The Ice Return
- International Ice Swimming Association bio
IISA 6th World Championship - Molveno
- Jonty Warneken Describes Para Swimming at the IISA 6th World Championship
- How Many IISA World Records Will Be Broken In Molveno?
- Expect Very Fast Para Swimming at the IISA 6th World Championship in Molveno
- IISA 6th World Championship - Updates on Molveno, January 2025
IISA 5th World Championship - Samoëns
- France Wins Medal Count at the IISA 5th World Championship
- Ludivine Blanc Sets Her Third World Record at the IISA World Championship in the 50 Freestyle
- Marcin Szarpak Shatters His Own Record to Win 250 Freestyle at IISA 5th World Championship
- Germany Wins 4×250 Mixed Freestyle Relay at IISA 5th World Championship
- Smoking Fast – Keaton Jones Captures His 5th World Title, 5th World Record at the IISA World Championship
- Polish Strength Demonstrated in the 100 IM at the IISA 5th World Championship – Slawomir Wilkowski Leads Polish Team
- Marta Piasecka of Iceland Wins Close Race to Capture 100 IM World IISA Title
- Alisa Fatum Wins Her Third Title at the IISA 5th World Championship
- Michał Perl Takes Both Breaststroke Titles at the IISA 5th World Championship
- Franziska Partheymüller Wins 50 Breaststroke Title at the IISA 5th World Championship
- Keaton Jones Sets His Fourth World Record, Wins His Fourth World Title at IISA World Championship
- Maja Olszewska Wins 100 Backstroke at IISA World Championship In World Record Time
- Alisa Fatum Continues Her Brilliant Dominance of the Ice Kilometer
- Marcin Szarpak Shatters Ice Kilometer World Record at IISA World Championship
- Keaton Jones Goes 3-for-3 at the IISA World Championship with a 100 Freestyle Victory
- Ludivine Blanc Wins Her Second IISA World Championship Title in the 100 Freestyle
- France Wins Close 4×50 Mixed Medley Relay over Poland
- Michał Perl Wins 100 Breaststroke at IISA World Championship in World Record Time
- Zoé Ducret Wins 100 Breaststroke IISA World Championship Title
- Keaton Jones Captures Second IISA World Championship Title and Record
- Bernard Louise Captures 100m Butterfly Gold at the IISA 5th World Championship
- Alisa Fatum Swims to Form – Fast and Victorious – at the IISA 5th World Championship
- Radostin Krastev Wins with the Fastest 500m in Ice Swimming History
- IISA 5th World Championship in Samoëns Begins with Ice Kilometer Heats
- Keaton Jones, Ludivine Blanc Shine and Set World Records on Day 1 of the IISA 5th World Championship
- The Extremely Cold Water Perception Scale
- The Excitement Builds For Samoëns World Championship
- IISA 5th World Championship in Samoëns Begins with Ice Kilometer Heats
- Team America Gearing Up For The IISA 5th World Championship
- Get Ready To Rumble With The Romanians In Samoens
- Thank You Visionary France
- 2023 Ice Swimming World Championships - Entries Open
