Mona McSharry not feeling the same pressure ahead of World Aquatics Championships
Following her Olympic exploits last year in Paris, the Sligo native had toyed with the idea of retirement.
After her tearful success in Paris, McSharry said at the time that "knowing that this is most likely my last Olympics, I am really happy to come away with a medal".
However, after her complete break from swimming over the winter, the 24-year-old returned to the pool to compete in the 2025 World Championship qualifiers at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin, where she posted the required qualifying times.
After a recent training camp in Malaysia, McSharry and the rest of the 12-strong Irish swimming squad, which include Paris gold medallist Daniel Wiffen and finalist Ellen Walsh, are now in the final stages of preparation for the Singapore event.
It's almost exactly a year to the day since McSharry won that Olympic bronze medal in Paris.
"It's kind of crazy that it's been a year, honestly. I feel like it's gone really fast and I'm excited to be back competing and just seeing where I can go from here," she said on the eve of the Worlds.
Now back in the pool after her break earlier this year, McSharry is not putting any pressure on herself ahead the women's 100m breaststroke, the heats of which are off the blocks on Monday.
"I'm leaving it (expectations) pretty open, honestly.
"I want to try and be kind of relaxed coming into this just because there was so much pressure building up into last year and I don't feel the need to come in with that same amount of pressure this year.
"But I am excited to see where I'm at, especially after having a shorter season and only kind of getting back into training in January, and just kind of seeing where my body is at after a shorter training period.
"I just have it in my mind to enjoy the racing.
"It's a good team and a good group of people and so it's always fun to kind of travel away and have a good time.
"That's such a big part about traveling and going on these trips is like, you know, racing is fun, but it's also just about kind of getting to enjoy time with friends and people that do things that you do and kind of cheering them on as well."
After Monday's 100m breaststroke heats, McSharry will also compete in the 200m equivalent, the heats of which are on Thursday, followed by the 50m version of the discipline next Saturday.
The opening day of competition in the pool sees Jack Cassin take part in the men's 100m butterfly and Tom Fannon, the Paris Olympic semi-finalist, in the men's 50m freestyle
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