Meet Mona McSharry - Ireland's bronze medal swimmer

Mona McSharry won Ireland's first Olympic medal in almost 30 years when she produced a gritty, brave finish in the 100m breaststroke final in Paris.

The first Irish swimmer to make an Olympic final this century when she made the 100m breaststroke final in Tokyo, the 23-year-old has now taken her place on the podium.

At the age of 15, McSharry was just under a second shy of the time required to make the Rio Games. A European junior champion at the age of 16 (50m breaststroke), and then shortly after her 17th birthday, she was a world junior champion (100m breaststroke).

Another global gold came in the latter event in 2021, some five months after McSharry's name gained a wider prominence at the Tokyo Olympics, taking bronze in the World Short Course Championships.

The ticket to Paris was secured last summer after the Sligo competitor smashed her previous Irish record for the event at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan.

This is the record she lowered again to 1:05.51 in Sunday's semi-final, which saw her qualify second fastest for tonight's final. For context, she swam 1.06.94 in Tokyo for eighth place.

The University of Tennessee graduate also holds the Irish 200m breaststroke record. She will tackle the aforementioned event in the French capital, as well as the 400m medley relay, when she comes down from the high of making history.

McSharry was born in the north Sligo village of Grange, just a stone's throw away from the Atlantic Ocean, and is a product of Ballyshannon Marlins Swimming Club.

Paris 2024: Mona McSharry's 'home' swimming coach Grace Meade looks ahead to the 100m breaststroke final, as the 23-year-old prepares for the biggest moment of her career.#RTESport #Paris2024