Sligo’s Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry says she’s taking a four-month break before deciding on what her future swimming plans are.
The Grange woman and her Ireland team-mates received a rapturous reception at Monday afternoon’s homecoming in Dublin city centre.
McSharry, who’s 23, won Ireland’s first medal in a record-breaking Olympics for the country in Paris when she took bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke.
In the immediate aftermath of her swims in Paris, McSharry indicated that this was ‘most likely’ her final Olympics.
However, when asked on Monday if she would continue her elite career for another Olympic cycle, McSharry told RTÉ: “We’ll take it one year at a time.
“I’m taking four months off to chill – and then we’ll see….if I miss it that much or want to move into the next phase of life – but, yeah, we’ll see.”
Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry reflects on a whirlwind Paris Games and what lies in store after a swimming break pic.twitter.com/fsmPyJvFdf
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2024
McSharry is flying directly to her US base of Tennessee from Dublin this week – and isn’t scheduled to return home to Sligo until the end of the month.
Fellow Grange Olympian Chris O’Donnell, boxer Dean Clancy, as well as local athletes Lauren Cadden, Mark English and Kelly McGrory were among the athletes being welcomed home on Monday.
Grange is organising a homecoming for sprint athlete O’Donnell this Wednesday night, in Grange car park, at 8:45pm.
