John Shortt: 'He was texting me. It's nice to have an Olympic champion call you a beast'

18-year-old John Shortt returned from the World Junior Aquatics Championships in Romania with two gold medals, a bronze, and the Leaving Cert results he'd been hoping for. 

John Shortt has turned down scholarship offers from American universities to remain in Ireland. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Clohessy

On Friday as many of his fellow Leaving Cert students were celebrating their results, John Shortt had other matters on his mind: the World Junior Aquatics Championships in Romania.

Two days earlier, he’d won gold in the 100m backstroke. Back in the pool for the 50m backstroke final, he defied his seventh-placed qualifying spot to win bronze. By Sunday, he would be a double world champion after adding gold in his favoured 200m backstroke.