Mona McSharry Claims Gold and Silver in Baku World Cup Opener
Irish swimmer Mona McSharry secured her first gold medal of the 2026 World Aquatics World Cup series by winning the 100m breaststroke final in Baku, Azerbaijan, touching the wall in 1:04.21. Having topped the morning heats in 1:04.94, McSharry accelerated in the final to become the only competitor to swim under 65 seconds, capturing just the second World Cup gold medal of her career. Her previous World Cup title came in the 50m breaststroke at the Westmont stop of the 2025 series.
The victory builds on an already strong opening campaign in Azerbaijan. Earlier in the meet, the County Sligo native and Olympic bronze medallist claimed a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:18.45, finishing just 0.18 seconds outside her own Irish record set at the 2025 World Cup. South Africa’s Aimee Canny took silver in the 100m final in 1:05.21, while Russia’s Evgeniia Chikunova, who won the 200m breaststroke, claimed bronze in 1:05.64.
Ellen Walshe Narrowly Misses Second Medal in Baku
Dublin swimmer Ellen Walshe returned to competition in the 400m individual medley following her silver-medal performance in the 200m butterfly on Thursday. Walshe narrowly missed a second podium finish of the meet, placing fifth in 4:29.13. China’s Yiting Yu won the gold medal in 4:24.09, and Great Britain’s Abbie Wood secured silver in 4:27.95.
The contest for bronze went down to the final touch. China’s Mohan Chang claimed third place in 4:28.76, finishing just one-hundredth of a second ahead of Japan’s Waka Kobori, who clocked 4:28.77. Walshe had opened her campaign earlier in the week by finishing second in the 200m butterfly in 2:05.58, behind China’s Chang Mohan, who took gold in 2:04.15.
Upcoming October World Cup Stops Across Central Asia
McSharry and Walshe continue their international racing schedule across three World Cup events during October. Following the opening leg in Baku, Azerbaijan, which runs from October 1 to 3, the competitors travel to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for races from October 8 to 10. The circuit concludes the following week in Astana, Kazakhstan, with events scheduled from October 15 to 17.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Baku World Cup
What was Mona McSharry’s previous World Cup gold medal?
McSharry’s first career World Cup gold medal came in the 50m breaststroke during the Westmont stop of the 2025 series.
How close did McSharry come to her Irish record in the 200m breaststroke?
McSharry finished the 200m breaststroke final in Baku in 2:18.45, which was just 0.18 seconds outside the Irish record of 2:18.27 she established at the 2025 World Cup.
Who won the 200m butterfly event alongside Ellen Walshe’s silver medal?
China’s Chang Mohan claimed the gold medal in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2:04.15, while Walshe finished second in 2:05.58.
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