Mona McSharry has won Bronze in 100m Breaststroke at the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships with an Irish Senior Record-breaking swim to give Ireland their second medal at these Championships – and a third World Championships medal for Irish swimming.
She has also qualified for the Final of the 200 metres breaststroke taking place at 14:14 today, setting what has been a remarkable 17th Irish Senior national record over the past week.
Taking place at the Etihad Arena, the Championships are world swimming’s finale of 2021 and the culmination of the short course (25m pool) season.
McSharry finished 4th in the 50m Breaststroke on Friday
“I was definitely nervous going into it because I knew I had the potential to medal and it’s really nice to see that all come together in a race,” she said. “It felt really good and I’m glad I dropped time too.
“It’s been amazing. It’s been really enjoyable to watch other teammates swim really well and have a great time. This is the first time we’ve gotten together as a group since the Olympics and it’s much of the same swimmers, and it’s just really nice to be able to have fun and compete together and be up against the best in the world.”
Jack McMillan powered home over the last 25m of his 100m Freestyle Semi-Final to earn the eighth spot in the 100m Freestyle Final. This will be the newly-formed National Centre Ulster’s first World Championships Final, taking place at 14:35
McMillan had never swum this event faster than 47 seconds and clocked 46.70, a time only 0.02 off two-time Olympian Shane Ryan’s Irish Senior Record.
World Silver Medallist Ellen Walshe concluded an unforgettable week in Abu Dhabi with her fifth Irish Senior Record-breaking swim to finish ninth in the 100m Butterfly Semi-Finals. Having broken her own Irish Senior Record in the heats, she again lowered it in the next round setting the new standard at 56.68 and missing out on the Final by a mere 0.06.
Walshe, based with McSharry at the University of Tennessee, earned Ireland’s second-ever World swimming medal when claiming silver in last Thursday’s 400m Individual Medley. In total, she swam five events at the Championships and set new Irish Senior Records at least once in three of them.
On the final day of the competition, Ireland has McSharry, Daniel Wiffen at 14:06 and Jack McMillan featuring in Finals.
“This has been an incredible Championships and I’d like to say congratulations to all the athletes, coaches, staff and all involved in and supporting their journey,” said Swim Ireland CEO Sarah Keane.
All the action can be followed via fina.org.
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