Mona McSharry: I was able to get myself out of that dark place

Six months out from the Paris Olympics, the clock is ticking down towards Mona McSharry's defining moment.

A podium finish in the City of Light is the obvious target for the Sligo swimmer. She has certainly put in the work. 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. She became only the second Irish swimmer ever to make an Olympic final when taking her place in the 100m breaststroke. In the early hours of a July morning three years ago, many adjusted their clocks to see her race.

"I can’t but be happy with eighth place at the Olympics and I love that the whole nation is behind me," a proud McSharry declared afterwards to RTÉ Sport.

"I think I put in a good fight. I'm happy to come away from my first ever Olympics with an eighth place. It's really not that bad..." - Mona McSharry reflects on her first Olympic final pic.twitter.com/PVAzc8kTqr

"Thank you to everyone who got up to watch it, and for supporting me. Making a final was my target for 2024, so we’re going to have to sit down and make some new targets! It’s amazing."

On 27 July next, exactly three years to the day since the Grange native made that Olympic final, her quest to better that will begin at the Aquatic Centre in Saint-Denis. Her ticket secured after smashing her previous Irish record in the 100m breaststroke at the World Aquatics Championship in Fukuoka, Japan, last summer.

McSharry swam a time of one minute 5.55