Ireland’s Ellen Walshe secured a gold medal in the women’s 400m individual medley at the European Swimming Championships in Paris, recovering from a deficit to touch the wall in 4:34.42, according to BBC reporting. Teammate Mona McSharry added a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:05.41, building on her Olympic success from earlier in the 2024 season, according to BBC reporting.
Walshe and McSharry Claim Medals in Paris Finals
Ellen Walshe delivered a gold-medal performance in the women’s 400m individual medley by overcoming an early deficit during the race to finish first in 4:34.42, as reported by the BBC. Great Britain’s Amalie Smith finished second to claim the silver medal, while Poland’s Justina Anna Kozan secured the bronze medal position, according to BBC reporting.
Earlier in the competition schedule, Mona McSharry raced to a second-place finish in the women’s 100m breaststroke. McSharry recorded a time of 1:05.41, earning her a spot on the podium alongside gold medallist Angharad Evans of Great Britain, who set a new championship record of 1:04.87, according to BBC coverage. McSharry’s silver adds to her achievements following her bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to BBC reporting.
“I was just so focused on putting on a good race and on my own plan. You can’t be any happier than recording a personal best,” McSharry said after her final, according to the BBC.
Irish Swimmers Compete in European Finals
While Walshe and McSharry secured podium spots, other Irish competitors faced tough fields in their respective finals at the championships. Daniel Wiffen finished just outside the medals in the men’s 800m freestyle final, coming home in fourth place with a time of 7:43.30, according to BBC reporting.
In the men’s 200m backstroke final, John Shortt placed seventh after clocking a time of 1:55.86. Meanwhile, Danielle Hill advanced through the rounds by qualifying for the women’s 50m backstroke final scheduled for Thursday, per BBC updates.
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