Ireland's Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe got their 2025 short course (25m pool) season underway in fine form in Carmel, Indiana, setting new Irish records in the 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly respectively.
In the heats, McSharry went under two minutes 20 seconds for the first time, clocking 2:19.95, breaking Niamh Coyne's 2021 record of 2:20.19.
In the final, the Co Sligo competitor touched in 2:20.03 to place fifth overall.
Walshe claimed bronze in her event in a time of 2:05.07, smashing Ireland's oldest short course record, Michelle Smith's 1997 mark of 2:07.04.
In the heats, the Templeogue swimmer clocked a personal best of 2:07.24. Given her record-breaking form of nine Irish short course records and six Irish long course (50m) records from last season, it was then inevitable that the record would go in the finals.
The USA’s Regan Smith took gold in a World Cup Record of 2:00.28 with her team-mate Alex Shackell taking silver in 2:02.51.
Both swimmers return to racing later today, Walshe in the 400m individual medley and McSharry in the 100m breaststroke.
