December 20, 2021
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
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.
Agonisingly close to winning a Bronze Medal in 50m Breaststroke on Friday, McSharry made up for that on Monday, lowering the Irish Senior Record she set in the Semi-Finals with a Finals time of 1:03.97.
This adds to the Bronze Medal she won at the 2019 LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships in 50m Breaststroke, and to Ellen Walshe’s 400m Individual Medley Silver Medal – won here on Thursday to give Ireland their first ever female swimming World medal.
McSharry said: “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. It felt really good and I’m glad I dropped time too.
“It’s been amazing. It’s been really enjoyable to watch other team mates 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 earns 100m Freestyle Final spot
Jack McMillan powered home over the last 25m of his 100m Freestyle Semi-Final to earn eighth spot in the 100m Freestyle Final. This will be the newly-formed National Centre Ulster’s first World Championships Final.
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 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.
Ireland has now set 16 new Irish Senior Records at these Championships with one day left of racing.
On the final day of competition, Ireland can already boast Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan to feature in Finals, with Niamh Coyne and Mona McSharry set to compete in the 200m Breaststroke heats in the morning as well.
All the action can be followed via fina.org.
Records
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay – Heats: 7:02.35 – Final: 6:59.54
Jack McMillan, Robbie Powell, Finn McGeever, Jordan Sloan
Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – Heats: 3:12.94
Calum Bain, Brendan Hyland, Jack McMillan, Jordan Sloan
Daniel Wiffen’s Irish Senior Record Swims in Abu Dhabi
1500m Freestyle Heats 1500m – 14:32.13
1500m Freestyle Heats 800m – 7:41.82
Mona McSharry’s Irish Senior Record Swims in Abu Dhabi
50m Breaststroke Semi-Final – 29.65
50m Breaststroke Final – 29.59
100m Individual Medley – 59.65
100m Individual Medley – 59.35
100m Breaststroke Semi-Final – 1:04.22
100m Breaststroke Final – 1:03.92
Ellen Walshe’s Irish Senior Record Swims in Abu Dhabi
400m Individual Medley Heats – 4:30.78
400m Individual Medley Final – 4:26.52
200m Individual Medley Heats – 2:08.69
100m Butterfly Heats – 57.32
100m Butterfly Semi-Final – 56.68
TOTAL: 16
Results
Monday Afternoon Results:
100m Butterfly Semi-Final – Top 8 go to Final
Ellen Walshe – 56.68 – 9th
100m Freestyle Semi-Final – Top 8 go to Semi-Final
Jack McMillan – 46.70 – 8th
100m Breaststroke FINAL
Mona McSharry – 1:03.92 – 3rd
Monday Morning Results:
200m Individual Medley Heats – Top 8 go to Final
Ellen Walshe – 2:08.69 – 9th
100m Butterfly Heats – Top 16 go to Semi-Final
Ellen Walshe – 57.32 – 14th
100m Freestyle Heats – Top 16 go to Semi-Final
Jack McMillan – 47.07 – 9th
50m Freestyle Heats – Top 16 go to Semi-Final
Danielle Hill – 24.83 – 22nd
1500m Freestyle Heats – Top 8 go to Final
Daniel Wiffen – 14:32.13 – 6th
Schedule
Tuesday Morning Heats Schedule – Starts 05:30
Mona McSharry & Niamh Coyne – 200m Breaststroke
Tuesday Afternoon Schedule (so far)
14:06 Daniel Wiffen – 1500m Freestyle FINAL
14:35 Jack McMillan – 100m Freestyle FINAL
*All times are Irish. Abu Dhabi = +4hrs
Find the full Irish schedule at Swim Ireland FINA World SC Swimming Championships 2021
Swim Ireland Team
2021 FINA World Championships (25m)
Abu Dhabi, UAE | December 16-21
Calum Bain - University of Stirling, Scotland - Coach: Bradley Hay
Niamh Coyne - National Centre (Dublin) - Coach: Ben Higson
Danielle Hill - Larne Swimming Club - Coach: Peter Hill
Brendan Hyland - National Centre (Dublin) - Coach: Ben Higson
Finn McGeever - National Centre (Limerick) - Coach: John Szaranek
Jack McMillan - National Centre (Ulster) - Coach: Davy Johnston
Mona McSharry - University of Tennessee, USA - Coach: Matt Kredich
Robert Powell - National Centre (Dublin) - Coach: Ben Higson
Jordan Sloan - National Centre (Ulster) - Coach: Davy Johnston
Ellen Walshe - University of Tennessee, USA - Coach: Matt Kredich
Daniel Wiffen - Loughborough University, England - Coach: Andi Manley
