Mona McSharry sets Irish record to secure place at Olympics

Mona McSharry is bound for the Paris Olympics after posting a landmark Irish record in the 100m breaststroke at the World Aquatics Championship in Fukuoka, Japan.

McSharry dipped under the 1.06 mark for the first time, winning her heat in a time of 1.05.55.

The Sligo swimmer was the second fastest across all the heats and progresses to the semi-final, which will take place on Monday afternoon. Only Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte managed a faster time than McSharry in the heats.

McSharry, now 22, reached the final of the 100m breaststroke at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and has now, as expected, guaranteed her spot in Paris.

Ellen Walshe had earlier guaranteed her place in Paris after finishing fourth in her semi-final in the 200m individual medley.

The World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka is the first of three opportunities for Irish swimmers to secure individual Olympic places, the second being the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar in February 2024, and the third being the Irish Open Swimming Championships in May 2024.

For relays, the top three teams in Olympic relay events in Fukuoka will confirm places for Paris, with the remaining 13 teams coming from the top times in Fukuoka and the Doha World Aquatics Championships.