Sport

World Aquatics Championships: Mona McSharry bows out of 200m breaststroke event at semi-final stage

The Sligo swimmer has already secured her placed at next year’s Olympic Games

Mona McSharry in action at the World Aquatics Championship. Photograph: Andrea Staccioli/Inpho
Thu Jul 27 2023 - 11:16

Mona McSharry bowed out of the World Aquatics Championship 200m breaststroke competition in Fukoka, Japan at the semi-final stage, finishing the event in 15th place overall.

McSharry finished fifth in Tuesday’s 100m breaststroke final at the championships, securing Olympic qualification.

The Sligo swimmer started the semi-final race strongly and was in fifth place crossing the 150m mark, but a late charge saw her drop to eighth, finishing with a time of 2:26.27 – quicker that her heat time of 2:26.59.

Speaking after the semi-final, McSharry expressed confusion. “I’m confused, I need to see the splits and stuff before I can figure out what happened I guess.

READ MORE

“It felt better than this morning, but roughly the same time, I’m quite happy with how I’m taking it out I think, so just look at the positives and hopefully build on it and this is just the first opportunity to qualify [for Paris 2024], so hopefully I can get it before the Olympics rolls around.”

McSharry will be back in action on Saturday for the 50m breaststroke heats, which is a non-Olympic event.

“I’m excited to move to something a little bit shorter, a little bit more relaxed, no pressure really, just get out there and race and do a bit of high intensity stuff before we go for the relay on Sunday, so it should be fun,” she said.