Ireland's Mona McSharry claimed gold in the 50m breaststroke event at the European Junior Championships in Israel with a 31.38 second swim.
The Marlins (Ballyshannon) swimmer progressed from the semi-final to final with a new Irish senior record of 30.91 seconds, breaking Fiona Doyle’s 2013 record of 30.93 seconds.
This afternoon’s final then saw the 16-year-old claim her first major gold medal as she finished ahead of Poland’s Weronika Hellmann (31.55).
McSharry won bronze in the same event in 2016 while Ireland’s last gold medal at the championships was won by London 2012 Olympian Sycerika McMahon who took 50m breaststroke (32.00) and 400m freestyle gold in 2011.
McSharry returns to the pool tomorrow for the heats of the 200m breaststroke and with Niamh Coyne.
Robbie Powell and Jack McMillan will compete at the 100m freestyle with Powell also entered in the 200m butterfly. Rachel Bethel is also in action as she swims the 400m freestyle heats.
