Sligo’s Mona McSharry has won her first heat at the opening day of the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis today.
The double-European champion from Grange was in heat seven of the 50 metres breaststroke, and touched home first in a time of 31.41 seconds.
McSharry is top seed for the event having won gold at the Europeans in Israel in June, and her time was the third fastest overall out of the seven heats.
She now advances to the semi-finals.
McSharry is a member of the Marlins Swimming Club in Ballyshannon, and also claimed European gold in the 100 metres and silver in the 200 metres at the Europeans.
She will compete in the 100 metres at the World Championships on Friday, and the 200 metres will follow on Monday.
Tallaght swimmer Niamh Coyne will join McSharry in the semi-finals after qualifying as one of the fastest 16 swimmers from the heats in a time of 32.36 seconds.
