'Ireland stand and applaud' - the significance of Mona McSharry's Olympic success
Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Paris La Defense Arena, Paris, France 29/7/2024 Swimming - Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final Ireland’s Mona McSharry celebrates with her bronze medal. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
On Monday, a village in Sligo was the talk of the Irish Olympic world.
Grange’s own hero, swimmer Mona McSharry, delivered Team Ireland’s first medal of this summer’s Paris Olympic Games to staple herself firmly into Irish sporting folklore.
It was an emotional rollercoaster, as the country watched McSharry pip Italy’s Benedetta Pinato to the post by just one-hundredth of a second in the 100m breaststroke final to earn a third-place podium position.
An elated Mona delivered a ‘one for the ages’ post-swim interview following her success.
“I still am that little girl from Sligo - and I was able to win a medal at the Olympics. It goes to show that you do anything you put your mind to,” a proud McSharry said after she picked up her bronze medal.
The 23-year-old will have a long-lasting impact on all the young budding swimmers in this country after they watched McSharry receive Ireland’s first medal in swimming since 1996.
This was before Team Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen added to this accolade by winning gold last night thanks to his victory in the 800m freestyle final.
The inspiration that an Irish medal winner can have for our small country is significant.
Think back to Katie Taylor’s gold medal triumph at London 2012 - a moment which transformed boxing in Ireland forever, giving generations of youngsters another sporting hero to follow.
McSharry is now part of this momentous list of Irish Olympic legends.
As people from near and far cheered Mona home, I’m sure that feeling of pride towards Mona’s medal triumph existed in every household around the country.
That’s what makes the Olympics unique, seeing our sportspeople beat some of the best to make Ireland stand and applaud.
