Mona McSharry a flagbearer as Ireland's best-ever Olympics draws to a close

Mona McSharry had the distinction of being a Team Ireland flagbearer alongside Fintan McCarthy for the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games at Stade de France in Paris.

McSharry, a native of Grange, Co Sligo who swam out of Ballyshannon Marlins Swim Club, won the bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke and was to be joined by Daniel Wiffen, who felt unwell and was replaced by McCarthy.

Wiffen, born in Leeds but brought up from the age of two in Magheralin, Co Armagh, won gold at the men's 800m freestyle final, setting an Olympic record time of 7:38.19, as well as a bronze medal in the 1500m breaststroke.

The closing ceremony marked the conclusion of an unforgettable Games for Ireland, with Donegal playing its part.

Kelly McGrory’s Irish team fell inches short of a medal in the Women's 4x400m Relay after an incredible performance on Saturday night.

Sharlene Mawdsley ran the last leg for Ireland with the Netherlands, with 3:19.50, and Great Britain on 3:19.72 pipping her at the line for second and third, as the United States team stormed to the gold medal in a time of 3:15.27.

The quartet of Sophie Becker, Rhasidat Adeleke, Phil Healy and Mawdsley clocked an astonishing national record of 3:19.90, obliterating the previous national record of 3:22.71.

Adeleke had come in following her fourth place in the Women's 400m final to replace íir Chonaill AC’s McGrory from Laghey, who had run in the semi-final on Friday. McGrory would've become the first Donegal person to win an Olympic medal and her family and friends gathered at the Rambling House to cheer on the team.

Letterkenny’s Mark English cut a disappointed figure following his elimination from the Men’s 800m at the semi-final stage. The 31-year-old put in an excellent first three-quarters and led the field, with all going to plan, only to come sixth in the end in a time of 1:45.97.

English finished second in his heat in a time of 1:45.15, just behind France’s Gabriel Tual, who clocked 1:45.13 on Wednesday and English was hopeful of making that level and beyond.

Raphoe’s Rachael Darragh bowed out of the women’s badminton after suffering defeat to former Olympic champion Carolina Marin. Spaniard Marin, the gold medallist at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, took victory over the Raphoe badminton ace 21-5 21-5 in the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris.

The previous afternoon, Darragh ran European Games bronze medallist Jenjira Stadelmann agonisingly close in her Group L opener, going to match point at one stage, before being edged out.

Sinéad Diver suffered Olympic heartache as she was forced to withdraw from the women’s marathon after just 1.2km in Paris through injury, which could spark a row in her adopted Australia.

Diver stepped off the Paris course less than five minutes in and was quickly collected by medical staff, who put her through an assessment and helped return her to the start line.

The 47-year-old Diver is the daughter of retired civil servant Eddie, who is originally from Coshclady, Bunbeg, and her mother, Bríd (née Dunleavy) hails from Belmullet, Co Mayo, where Sinead herself was brought up.

Ireland's haul of seven medals - four gold and three bronze - in Paris makes it their most successful Olympics ever. Outside of McSharry and Wiffen in the pool, there were golds for McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan in the Lightweight Men's Double Sculls; Rhys McClenaghan on the Men's Pommel Horse and Kellie Harrington in the Women's 60kg Boxing, as well as bronze in the form of Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle in the Men's Double Sculls.