Mona McSharry edged out in 100m Breaststroke World Championship final

JUST MISSING OUT: Ireland’s Mona McSharry on her way to finishing fifth in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final. Pic: INPHO/Andrea Masini

Mona McSharry came agonisingly close to winning Ireland’s first ever world long course medal at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on Tuesday afternoon, ultimately touching in fifth place in the 100m Breaststroke Final.

The 22-year-old Sligo native clocked 1:06.07 and was just .13 of a second off the bronze medal. In a stacked field, McSharry came home behind four Olympic gold medallists including 2012 Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte from Lithuania, who took gold in 1:04.62, Tokyo 2020 200m Breaststroke champion Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa in 1:05.84, Tokyo Olympic champion in the 100m Breaststroke Lydia Jacoby of the USA in 1:05.94, and Rio 2016 gold medallist and world record holder in the event Lily King of the USA in 1:06.02.