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Mona McSharry. James Crombie/INPHO

Mona McSharry breaks Irish record to reach final of 100m breaststroke

The Sligo swimmer finished second, behind South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker.

MONA McSHARRY IS through to the final after an impressive showing in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris Olympics this evening. 

The 23-year-old’s time of 1:05.51 is a new Irish record and her position of second overall has secured a centre lane for the final.

The Sligo swimmer finished second, behind South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker (1.05.00) and ahead of USA’s Lilly King in third (1.05.64).

McSharry had a slow start and appeared well down the pecking order but finished strongly to ensure her place in tomorrow night’s final, which is due to start at around 8.25pm.

Earlier in this morning’s heats, she also finished second behind favourite Qianting Tang from China, in a time of 1:05.74, which put her through to the semi-final in third place overall.  

Tang finished in 1:05.63, with a strong McSharry gaining in the closing stages.  

Speaking about her slower start, McSharry told reports after the race that it was a result of purposeful relaxation. 

“I did go out a little bit slower the first 50 and that was probably being more relaxed which is not necessarily a bad thing because I came back back faster,” she explained. 

But hopefully I can put together the 50 from this morning and 50 from tonight tomorrow and see what happens.

Could that be a medal? 

“Yeah, I mean, look, there’s eight of us. We’ve all got a chance and, you know, it’s exciting to be up there and being in the middle lane is going to be great because I’ll be right in the middle of it.

“And yeah, I mean that’s what I’m here to do. So I’m definitely very excited.”

She also acknowledged it was nice to be in the small percentage of people who manage “to PB at the Olympics”. 

“It’s also really exciting to know that I’m racing against the best and you know holding my own.” 

World record holder Lilly King told reporters after that she was not surprised by McSharry’s time given how well she has been racing all year, putting her solidly in as a medal contender. 

Written by Paul Fennessy and Sinéad O’Carroll and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.

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    Mute John Fagan
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:16 PM

    Second fastest of the night and was challenging the favourite right till the end. Looks good for a medal.

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    Mute qffaffaf affrafrfraf
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:20 PM

    Well done to her, our first decent swimmer since Michelle Smith

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    Mute John Moore
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:47 PM

    @qffaffaf affrafrfraf: Ah yeah, the druggie.

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    Mute qffaffaf affrafrfraf
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    Jul 28th 2024, 10:25 PM

    @John Moore: Ah stop John, Michelle was a great woman for one woman. Medals were never stripped from her.

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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Jul 29th 2024, 12:19 AM

    @John Moore: Never got some for doping. They said she tampered with the urine sample but had no evidence, probably wouldn’t be upheld on appeal today. They wanted to get at De Bruin her husband.

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    Mute Brian
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    Jul 28th 2024, 10:18 PM

    Well done Mona.. great achievement.. best of luck bringing home a medal !

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:00 PM

    #COYWGIG!!

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    Mute New Boy
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:13 PM

    Swimming like a fish

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:16 PM

    The conservatives won’t be happy about this progress and record breaking

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    Mute Buster Lawless
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:31 PM

    @9QRixo8H: I never bother reading your juvenile gutter ramblings,like I get it …it’s just low IQ lonely trolling but I must say your derogatory insensitive crap on an article about the passing of the late ( & great) novelist Enda O Brien ( R.I.P.) did hit a new low

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    Mute Oh Mammy
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    Jul 28th 2024, 11:51 PM

    @9QRixo8H: a gobsh*te trifecta right there

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    Mute Patrick K
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    Jul 29th 2024, 12:51 AM

    @D. Peado: get a life

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    Mute Shane O Mac
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    Jul 28th 2024, 9:17 PM

    Climate change

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Jul 29th 2024, 5:02 AM

    She will get us a medal for sure

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    Mute H Woo
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    Jul 29th 2024, 12:56 PM

    If she wins gold the greens will blame it on Global warming.

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