Ireland's Mona McSharry has won gold in the 100m Breaststroke at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis.
It was Ireland’s second world swimming title in just four days after Shane Ryan’s 50m Backstroke gold medal win at the World University Games on Wednesday.
Sligo's McSharry lead from start to the finish, winning out by .37 of a second over silver medalist Faith Knelson of Canada (1:07.47), USA’s Zoe Bartel completed the podium in 1:07.63.
Racing to the championship title and gold medal the Marlins Donegal star eclipsed Fiona Doyle’s 2015 Irish Record of 1:07.15 by five hundredths of a second winning in 1:07.10, knocking almost three tenths of a second off her own previous best of 1:07.38 from this year’s Irish Open.
What an amazing reaction from @MonaMcsharry safe to say she's VERY happy! 🥇🇮🇪 #WorldChampion #FINAWorldJnrsIndy pic.twitter.com/0aMzLyKm3R
— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) August 26, 2017
A delighted McSharry said: "It’s wonderful to win here at the World Juniors, to stand on top of the podium and hear our anthem played.
"I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me on my journey so far; and now for the 200m (Breaststroke) – I’m not finished yet."
In just eight weeks, the newly crowned World Champion has won World and European 100m Breaststroke Gold, World Bronze and European Gold in the 50m Breaststroke and European 200m Breaststroke Silver, the World 200m event takes place on Monday.
A message from our WORLD CHAMPION! #FINAWorldJnrsIndy pic.twitter.com/ZyWMYHsUrt
— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) August 26, 2017
Meanwhile, Conor Ferguson came agonisingly close to a medal in the 50m Backstroke final.
Ferguson, who claimed Ireland’s first ever medal at the event in the 100m Backstroke on Thursday, touched in 25.48 seconds, just one tenth of a second off Poland’s Kacper Stokowski who won bronze in 25.38.
