Sligo’s Mona McSharry won 100m Breaststroke Gold at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis USA on Saturday, with the 17-year-old Marlins Swimming Club member becoming Ireland’s first ever gold medalist at the event.
McSharry lead from start to the finish winning out by .37 of a second over silver medalist Faith Knelson of Canada (1:07.47). USA’s Zoe Bartel completed the podium in 1:07.63. Racing to the championship title and gold medal the Grange native eclipsed Fiona Doyle’s 2015 Irish Record of 1:07.15 by five hundredths of a second winning in 1:07.10, knocking almost three tenths of a second off her own previous best of 1:07.38 from this year’s Irish Open Swimming Championships. Doyle’s time was her qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
A delighted McSharry spoke after the race “It’s wonderful to win here at the World Juniors, to stand on top of the podium and hear our anthem played. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me on my journey so far; and now for the 200m (Breaststroke) – I’m not finished yet!”
In just eight weeks, the newly crowned World Champion has won World and European 100m Breaststroke Gold, World Bronze and European Gold in the 50m Breaststroke and European 200m Breaststroke Silver, the World 200m event takes place on Monday.
Added to a bronze and silver medal at the European Championships last summer, McSharry has now won seven elite medals in just over a year.
McSharry returns for the 50m Freestyle heats today, before turning attention to the 200m breaststroke tomorrow.
World Junior Championships
Day 3 Results
Friday 25th August
50m Butterfly Robbie Powell H 25.39 (32nd)
200m IM Ellen Walshe H 2:23.54 (36th)
50m Backstroke Conor Ferguson H 25.61 (4th) SF 25.62 (5th) F 25.48 (4th)
100m Breaststroke Mona McSharry H 1:07.79 (1st) SF 1:07.79 (2nd) F 1:07.10 (1st) ISR
Day 5 Schedule
Sunday 27th August (Heats 2.30pm/Finals 11pm)
100m Freestyle Robbie Powell, Jack McMillan
100m Butterfly Ellen Walshe
50m Freestyle Mona McSharry
