Olympic bronze a fitting reward for Mona McSharry's journey in and out of the pool

Daniel Wiffen was, and still is, a huge hope for silverware in the pool here on the western fringes of Paris on Tuesday night, but McSharry has touched the wall first.

MONA LISA SMILE: Ireland's Mona McSharry celebrates with her Bronze medal after the Women's 100m Breststroke Final at the Paris La Defense Arena on the third day of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France. Picture date: Monday July 29, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Okay, hands up who had Mona McSharry winning Ireland’s first medal at these Olympic Games? Don’t even think about it. It’s not that the 23-year old from Sligo wasn’t mapped, just that there were far more prominent contours on the page to catch the eye.

Daniel Wiffen was, and still is, a huge hope for silverware in the pool here on the western fringes of Paris on Tuesday night, and the men’s rugby sevens will harbour regrets at their mistakes at the Stade de France last weekend, but McSharry has touched the wall first.