Women in Sport: Olympic swimmer Mona McSharry

Growing up by the sea in Sligo, Mona McSharry quickly became interested in swimming competitively. A finalist in the 50m Breaststroke in Swimming at the Tokyo Olympics, Mona is an extremely ambitious athlete currently studying and swimming at the University of Tennessee. 

Here, she shares her sporting story so far…

Name: Mona McSharry

Profession: Student Athlete

Earliest sporting memory?

Racing at the community games final in Dublin for the first time.

How did you become involved in your sport?

My parents wanted me to learn how to swim because we live beside the sea, and it is a great skill to have. I was also in love with the water, so it seemed like a great option. After learning how to swim, I joined the Marlins swim club and became more involved with swimming from there.

What message would you like to share with young women and girls interested in pursuing a career as an athlete?

When you’re young I think it is so important to try out lots of different sports and even when you choose one, never limit your possibilities for what you could do. Loving what you do is the most important part, making sure you are enjoying the journey and taking in all the amazing opportunities sport can give you.

Proudest moment so far…

Qualifying for my first Olympics at Trials in April in the heats of the 100 breaststroke and having my coach Grace Meade there, as well as my mom.

The female athlete I admire most is…

Katie Taylor, because she is always the first athlete that comes to mind when I get asked this question and I love her determination and work ethic.

Favourite sporting memory?

Qualifying for the Racing in the Olympic final and getting 8th at the Olympics.

Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?

Yes, although there have been huge improvements there is still stigma around women in sport.

What is the biggest barrier to driving visibility in women’s sports?

The biggest barrier is a lack of media coverage and although it is getting better, we are still not where we need to be.

The biggest stigma/misconception that exists in women’s sport is…

A big stigma I see in sport is that women are weaker or less athletic than men, which is not the case.

Another stigma which I hate is the idea that women who are strong and athletic are not beautiful. Feeling powerful and strong is one of my favourite things about training hard and I don’t think it makes me any less beautiful.

If I wasn’t an athlete I would be…

Travelling the world or working with animals in some way.

My favourite pre-competition meal is…

It depends, and I’m not really that fussy but pasta with chicken in a red sauce is never a bad choice.

My pre-competition playlist includes…

This playlist is ever changing by as of now some of my favorites are Mwaki, HyperParadise, Every Step (D.O.D), Movement (feat. Yung Fusion), Right Here, Right Now.

My daily routine is…

Wake up and make myself a tasty breakfast with coffee (avocado on toast with fried eggs is a favourite), walk my dog and then swim for two hours. Have a second breakfast and walk my dog again (this is normally longer). Head to class or do some schoolwork. Make lunch and hang out with my dog. Drink another coffee and then go swim for another 2 hours. Come home and shower, make dinner and hang out with my roommates and my dog while watching a movie and doing homework.

My biggest sporting goal is…

Medal at the Olympics.

Sports brands I love (Irish or otherwise)…

Speedo for race suits and goggles. Bound Apparel for great gym clothing.

Biggest splurge to celebrate a win…

FOOD!!!! With good company.

How do you mind your mental health?

Doing things I love outside of swimming, like spending time with close friends or spending time by myself with my dog. I like to get outside and go on long walks or adventures and also chill inside knitting. I also love to call home to Ireland and keep in touch with my family and friends there too. Cooking is also a great way to unwind for me.

My three desert island beauty products are…

I’m not a huge makeup person but these are my everyday beauty products:

BeautyBio – THE DAILY, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat, Sculpted – Bronze Base Face Tan.

I need 7-9 hours of sleep a night because….

I push my body extremely hard each day both physically and mentally and I love to do it. Sleep is the time when my body and mind can recover and rejuvenate for another great day of training.

Confidence, to me, is…

Believing in myself and knowing that I belong at the top of my sport racing against the best. Trusting in my coach, planning, training, and the way I swim my race.

How do you get over a bad performance?

There is no such thing as a truly bad performance from start to finish normally and knowing that a bad performance can give me just as much if not more information than a good one, I try to make sure that I am reflecting on the performance and figuring out what was “bad” about it.

I reflect on my food intake the day before and that day, how was my mental state, what decisions I made in the race that may not have been the best, and why I made them, how did my body feel, how was my warmup. There are so many ways I can learn and grow from not ideal performances, so I try to focus on the positives of knowing I can take something, learn from it, and be better for the next race.

Lastly, why is sport such an integral part of community, on a club, local, national, and personal level?

Activity is so important for people of all ages and sport is a great combination of activity while allowing people to make relationships and learn great skills such as leadership, teamwork, discipline and self-confidence. Sport can bring clubs, counties and countries together which is so important, and I have definitely experienced situations where I felt like I had my whole town and my whole country invested in my journey.

Sport on a personal level is also extremely important for mental health as it can be used as. Break from everyday life or a time during the week when you can get away from other stressors and just be immersed in fun and passion with friends and teammates.

Imagery via Sportsfile Seb Daly.

This article was originally published in April 2024.