Swimming stars Mona McSharry and Danielle Hill conclude their World Championships participation prematurely due to heat losses.
Ireland's Swimmers Shine at World Aquatics Championships
Mona McSharry, the Olympic bronze medallist, continues her journey at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, with her participation scheduled for Sunday. Despite a recent bout of illness that forced her to miss two days of competition, McSharry has shown resilience and determination.
In the women's 50m breaststroke heats, McSharry clocked a time of 31.28 seconds, demonstrating her fighting spirit. She expressed satisfaction with her performance given her health challenges, stating, "I've been pretty sick and it's tough to get out of bed the last few days, so considering that I was able to get up and race today, I can only be happy with it."
McSharry's ambitions, however, extend beyond the current championships. In a recent interview, she confirmed her intention to continue her international swimming career after the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. Although specific upcoming events or detailed future plans have not been announced yet, McSharry has expressed her excitement about participating in the World Cups in October.
Shane Ryan, another Irish swimmer, also made a strong showing in the men's 50m backstroke. He finished first in his heat with a time of 24.96 seconds, placing 19th overall. Despite missing out on the semi-finals, Ryan expressed satisfaction with his performance and his motivation to continue swimming, looking ahead to the new season.
The men's 4x100m medley relay final will take place on Sunday at 1.33pm, with the Irish team of John Shortt, Eoin Corby, Jack Cassin, and Evan Bailey representing Ireland. The heats for this event will take place at 4.02am Irish time, with the Irish team competing in the third heat.
Ellen Walsh will also be in action on Sunday, participating in the heats of the women's 400m individual medley at 3.35am Irish time.
McSharry, in her post-competition comments, acknowledged the end of her World Aquatics Championships journey this year, stating, "Sadly it's not the end to the worlds I wanted, but we just kind of take it and accept it." However, her commitment to the sport remains unwavering, as she indicated that she is not yet ready to retire from swimming, stating, "I kind of had a real realisation, kind of at this competition, that I'm not ready to be done yet."
As the championships continue, the Irish team will undoubtedly continue to make a splash in the pool, showcasing their talent and determination.
Sports enthusiasts in Ireland can look forward to McSharry's future competitions, as she plans to continue her international swimming career beyond the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. Additionally, other Irish swimmers like Shane Ryan and Ellen Walsh are also set to make their mark in upcoming events.
