Gavin Cooney reports from La Defense Arena, Paris

MONA MCSHARRY WEPT with delight as she became Ireland’s first medalist at the Paris Olympics, and the first Irish swimmer to medal since 1996. 

McSharry won bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke at the La Defense Arena, finishing just 0.01 seconds clear of fourth place. 

“I started crying on the podium and I haven’t fully stopped yet”, said McSharry. “It’s just the pinnacle of sport to have all your hard work pay off in something like this, at this moment.

“There’s been a huge progression, it’s definitely down to a lot of hard work and dedication to trying to be the best I can be, and keep pushing to be better. All athletes will relate with the fact that once you do something, you’re straight on to wanting to do the next best thing.” 

McSharry’s goggles filled with water as she dived into the pool, but she did not allow it to encumber her on her way to history. “Sure look”, she said, “no race is perfect.” 

While yesterday she exuded calm, McSharry admitted to feeling nervy ahead of the final. 

“I was definitely a little bit more nervous. I rushed through my prep tonight so I had a little more time in the prep area, sitting and waiting, thinking, ‘Oh my God I don’t want to sit here now’. I felt myself getting nervous. But that’s when you have a great group of people around you to chat to and distract you.” 

The blocks of the pool light up with a corresponding number of red dots for those who finish first, second, and third, and this was how McSharry realised she had fended off the challenge of Italy’s Benedetta Pilato in fourth place. 

“The Chinese swimmer beside me got second, but then I saw the three dots I was over the moon. I turned to see my time, but times don’t matter in a final. It’s about hands on the wall.” 

Following that initial rush of glory, McSharry had to steady herself to make sure she soaked it all in. 

“I got a little flustered after I won it, and I had to calm myself down. ‘You need to take in the moment here. We need to really enjoy this. I don’t think I’ve ever cried for a medal before. That shows how big a deal it is.” 

And as she stood on the podium, she could not ignore the tougher moments, those which she came through for her greatest moment of all. McSharry flirted with quitting the sport in 2022, but righted herself the following year. 

“Before I did it, I would have said, ‘Can I really do that?’ And now I have it I’m like, ‘What’s next?’

“I had a flashback to all the hard work I’ve been going through this year, the tougher moments and the moments where I thought, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’

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“That was really nice. And then scanning the crowd and watching the flag go up. It’s just a bunch of emotions and just unbelievable energy.” 

It was a moment born nine years earlier. 

“I have been telling myself I am going for a medal all year, and this was in the plan when I sat down with my coach in 2015. We said that 2020 would be the feeler Olympics and 2024 would be where we get stuff done. It’s been in the works for a while, there have been doubts in there, I have always had the expectation I could do it.” 

There is little time for celebration, however, as McSharry races again in the 200m breaststroke on Wednesday morning. 

“We are not done yet! Try and calm down tonight, and I might get a chocolate muffin, that’s my sweet delight.” 

What hangs from her neck is much sweeter.