Sligo swimmer Mona McSharry enjoyed multiple medal success at the prestigious South Eastern Conference (SEC) swimming championships in Tennessee.
Competing in her Sophomore (second) year for the University of Tennessee, McSharry won gold in the women’s 100 yard breaststroke final on Friday night, swimming a time of 57.70secs.
It was the first SEC gold medal of her career after winning silver in the same event last season.
McSharry became the first Tennessee women’s swimmer to win the event since Molly Hannis achieved the feat in 2012.
She followed that up with a bronze medal in the final of the 200m breaststroke – and the Grange woman was also part of the Tennessee 400m medley team which won silver.
She also won silver with the 200m freestyle and 200m medley relay teams, bringing her medal haul for the championships to five.
Speaking after her 100 breaststroke gold medal in her own University pool, McSharry said: “Definitely some nerves, but I think they helped push me and made sure that I got my hands on the wall first.
“I think it’s just unbelievable. I mean winning is great but being able to do it in a pool that you’re in every morning and every evening and with so many teammates standing around is just unbelievable.”
Mona McSharry is the best of the breast! 😤#GBO x #IGTBATV🍊 pic.twitter.com/JMNMDhn2G5
— Tennessee Swimming & Diving (@Vol_SwimDive) February 19, 2022
Tennessee head coach Ashley Jahn paid tribute to McSharry’s performances this week.
“This year, she has set even higher standards and goals for herself. It is awesome to watch her in the first championship meet of this season to start to realize some of those goals.”
For the second time in three years, the Tennessee women’s team clinched the overall team winners prize at the SEC Championships.
McSharry’s Irish team-mate Ellen Walshe, who’s also on an Universityy of Tennessee Sports Scholarship, enjoyed an impressive championships too, winning individual gold medals in the 400 IM and 100 fly – which saw her collect the ‘Swimmer of the Meet’ accolade.
