McSharry wins her semi-final at World Championships

North Sligo’s Mona McSharry has eased through to the final of the women’s 100 metres at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis.

The Grange 17-year-old was second-fastest qualifier in Friday night’s semi-finals, matching her time of one minute 7.79 seconds from the morning heats.

McSharry has already won the European title at the distance this summer, and also claimed Ireland’s first-ever bronze medal at the world juniors when finishing third in Thursday’s 50 metres final.

McSharry will also compete in the 200 metres breaststroke event, with the heats starting on Monday.

McSharry was one of only two swimmers under 1:08 in the morning heats of the 100m Breaststroke where she progressed in 1:07.79 as top seed. Swimming in the second semi-final tonight McSharry was the first swimmer home in the exact same time as her heat swim, she goes into tomorrow’s final in second place behind Canada’s Faith Knelson who won the first semi-final in 1:07.51.

Last night’s 100m Backstroke silver medallist Conor Ferguson won his heat of the 50m Backstroke in 25.61 seconds advancing to the semi-final in fourth place. Ferguson was just one hundredth of a second off that time in the semi-final clocking 25.62 seconds to progress to tomorrow’s final in fifth place. USA’s Michael Andrew, who set a new World Junior Record of 24.63 seconds is the heats, will be the top seed for tomorrow’s final in 24.67.

Niamh Coyne had a drama filled morning as she finished tied in 16^th place in 1:10.88 in the 100m Breaststroke. Coyne went forward at the end of the session to a swim off against Belgium’s Anke Geeroms where she stormed to victory in 1:09.67, her first time under 1 minute 10 seconds. In tonight’s semi-final Coyne was under 1:10 once again touching fifth in her semi-final and moving six places up the rankings for tenth overall in 1:09.83.

Darragh Greene concluded Ireland’s individual events in the pool at the World University Games today with a fantastic 6^th place finish in the 50m Breaststroke Final. Greene broke 28 seconds for the first time in yesterday’s heat swim in 27.87 seconds, the UCD student bettered that time to 27.85 in the semi-finals and knocked another .09 off it in tonight’s final coming home in 27.76. Belarus’ Ilya Shymanovich took gold in the event in 27.39, Sweden’s Erik Skagius won silver in 27.49 while Germany’s Fabian Schwingenschloegl was third in 27.63 seconds.

Just one race remains at the World University Games tomorrow as Ireland’s Medley Relay take to the pool, while at World Junior Championships Robbie Powell swims the 50m Butterfly and Ellen Walshe the 200m Individual Medley.

World Junior Championships
Day 3 Results 
Friday 25^th August
50m Butterfly                     Ellen Walshe                       H 28.23 (25^th)
50m Backstroke                Conor Ferguson                  H 25.61 (4^th)                        SF 25.62 (5^th)
100m Breaststroke            Mona McSharry                  H 1:07.79 (1^st)                     SF 1:07.79 (2^nd)
Niamh Coyne                      H 1:10.61 (16^th) SO 1:09.67SF 1:09.83 (10^th)
50m Freestyle                    Robbie Powell                     H 23.34 (21^st)

Day 4 Schedule   
Saturday 26^th August (Heats 2.30pm/Finals 11pm)
50m Butterfly                      Robbie Powell
200m IM                               Ellen Walshe
50m Backstroke Final        Conor Ferguson
100m Breaststroke Final    Mona McSharry