Photo credit: Team Ireland
Donegal and Sligo will be cheering on swimmer Mona McSharry who is within reach of an Olympic medal this evening in Paris.
McSharry scored a new national record of 1:05.51 to qualify in style for the 100m Breaststroke Final. She was 2nd in her heat at La Defense and 2nd overall, securing a centre lane for the final, which takes place at 8.25pm Irish time and will air on RTE2.
The 23-year-old, now a two-time Olympic finalist, goes into the final having shaved four-hundredths of a second off her own Irish Record of 1:05.55 from the 2023 World Championships.
The Ballyshannon Marlins Swim Club is getting geared up to cheer on their double Olympian, while the North Sligo Athletic Club is gathering support for its two athletes flying the flag at the Olympics.
Chris O’Donnell, also from Grange, will compete in the 4 x 400 mixed relay team.
A fundraising campaign for McSharry and O’Donnell is raising thousands to be donated directly to the athletes. Over €3,000 has been raised so far.
“Since the Tokyo Olympics, Christopher and Mona have gone from strength to strength and are a huge source of inspiration for our young people. They show us that anything is possible with the right mindset, and family and community support behind you,” the campaign said.
The club spokesperson added: “This will help fund their Olympic adventure as well as future attempts at the Olympics, European, and World Championships.
“This money will be spent on travel, medical fees, scientific testing, track and gym membership fees, consultancy fees such as dietitian and physio, foreign travel and accommodation for competitions and warm weather training abroad, footwear, and clothing. Together, we can support our athletes to reach their full potential and achieve greatness on the world stage.”
Visit the donation page here: www.gofundme.com/f/chris-and-mona-for-olympics-2024
