Meet the Belfast student who went for a swim in a puddle outside Limelight

Aidan O’Neill is on the road to Rio


A video of Aidan O’Neill swimming in a puddle outside Limelight went viral last week.

Following his recent athletic fame, Aidan spoke to The Tab about the video, girls and future endorsements.

Aidan’s reason for taking a dip was simple: “I was arguing with a boy outside about who was the maddest bastard. To decide it, I seen a puddle and thought this was my moment to shine like my life long hero Michael Phelps whose won 18 gold Olympic medals, and get my swim on.” Getting his mate to film the action, Aidan put any doubts over who was the maddest to bed and swam like a champion. When asked what he was thinking in the moment, Aidan told The Tab that all he could remember was looking up and seeing the glow of lights recording him. His training regime consisted of a lot of jäger bombs and double vodka red bulls which were supplied by Limelight on the night.

Aidan considers himself the maddest bastard in Belfast

I asked what the other guy did when he’d realised his defeat. Aidan responded: “As I emerged from the water he looked upon the adonis of a man that stood before him, drenched in muddy puddle water he was not sure if he was looking at a mere man or a merman. He cowered under my presence, I felt like King Triton from the Little Mermaid – a true king of the water. In that moment he acknowledged that I truly was a mad bastard and bowed down gracefully in defeat.”

And Aidan hasn’t been short of attention since then. He made the point of adding: “Since the video I have been approached by several modelling agencies and swimwear companies such as Speedo, but at the moment I am focussing on making it to Rio this summer to compete for Ireland.” He is also hoping that since the video has gone viral, he find a nice girl to settle down in the Holylands with during these cold winter months. Criteria for such a girl includes: “Long walks on the beach, must also enjoy a firm breast stroke and the occasional flump.” Aidan would like everyone to know that applications are now open.

Aidan hasn’t been short of female attention

When asked what course he studies, Aidan said: “I’d rather not share that information as if the place where I study found out, I would be off the course because I’m on my final warning”.

See Aidan’s athletic triumphs here.