‘Gutted’ Mona McSharry settles for fifth in World 100m breaststroke final

So near. So far.

Mona McSharry was just inches - or, in the currency she deals in, time, just 0.5 seconds - from winning a medal in Tuesday’s 100m breaststroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.

McSharry was fifth with only inches between the contenders for the prizes.

When McSharry looked up from the water at the Aspire Dome in Doha, she was fifth for the second time at the World Championships.

In 2023 in Japan, she had a similar position.

“I’m gutted,” an emotional McSharry said.

“I just felt like it was there within my reach and I just didn’t have it today. It’s really tough to deal but just, back to the drawing board and keep working, I guess.

“The most important thing is not coming away from this distraught or disheartened and try to use it to my advantage or feeling like I’m not capable. That’s probably going to be the hardest part.”

The Olympic Games already beckon for McSharry, by virtue of the Irish record of 1:05.55 set at the 2023 Worlds in Fukuoka.

McSharry is already an Olympian having reached the final, and placed eighth, in the 100m breaststroke at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The Grange native, who cut her teeth in the water at the Ballyshannon Leisure Centre with the Marlin’s Swimming Club, entered Tuesday’s final as a genuine medal prospect having been the second fastest qualifier. 

McSharry clocked 1:06.42 wth China’s Qianting Tang winning gold in 1:05.27.

McSharry was coming to go where no Irish swimmer has ever gone before - onto the World Championships podium - but finished half-a-second outside the medal positions.

Dutch swimmer Tes Schouten earned silver in 1:05.82 and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, the daughter of an Irishman, Darach, and a grand-niece of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, took bronze in 1:05.92.

McSharry was fifth on the turn at 50m and was unable to claw back the deficit, having done so in both her heat and semi-final.

The University of Tennessee student was in lane 5 having earned a coveted middle lane draw through her semi-final.

Tang, the gold medallist in the World Short Course Championships in 2021, continued her impressive week with a storming display and a new personal best for gold.

Ireland has never before won a medal at these Championships.

At the World Short Course Championships, held in a 25-metre pool, there have been three previously, including McSharry’s 100m breaststroke bronze in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

Ellen Walsh grabbed silver in the 400m individual medley in 2021 and Shane Ryan a 50m backstroke bronze in 2018

On Monday morning, McSharry eased through her heat, finishing in 1:06.49. She was second in her heat and the third fastest qualifier overall.

In the semi-final, McSharry breeze through, coming second in 1:06.11 with only Tang’s 1:05.36 faster.

McSharry is also slated for the 50m and 200m breaststroke events this week in Doha.