‘This is a truly historic moment' – Ireland's Eve McMahon secures bronze medal at world sailing championships
McMahon, who already boasts two consecutive U21 World Championship titles, delivered a consistently strong performance throughout the series, finishing third behind France's Louise Cervera and Poland's Agata Barwinska who won gold and sliver respectively.
The result represents a major breakthrough for McMahon, who made her Olympic debut in Paris last summer after just two years competing at the senior level. Her campaign in Qingdao saw her place within the top six in all six races of the 99-boat event, while skillfully avoiding penalties — a sharp contrast to previous events where avoidable mistakes proved costly.
"We were struggling in the last few events, but we've worked really hard to fix that before coming to China," said Irish Sailing coach Vasilij Zbogar. 'We spent time training in Lymington with the British team, especially in tidal currents, and that helped us not just fight for a medal — but win one.'
'It was a really tough day with strong winds, but Eve managed three solid races,' added Zbogar, who himself won an Olympic silver medal for Slovenia in Qingdao during the 2008 Beijing Games. 'She's sailing at a very high level, and we're excited for what's ahead.'
In the ILCA 7 men's division, Carlow's Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) recovered from a slow start on Friday with three top-six finishes, including second place in the final race. He climbed to 15th overall in the 138-boat fleet, with his late surge suggesting a longer regatta might have seen him finish inside the top ten.
Ewan McMahon (Howth YC), Eve's brother, also delivered a strong showing. He ended 19th overall, just four points behind Lynch, with all his race finishes inside the top ten — a reflection of the tight competition at the top.
'This is another truly historic moment for Irish sailing,' said James O'Callaghan, Irish Sailing's Performance Director. 'Eve is the first Irish female sailor to win a senior world championship medal. Massive credit goes to her commitment and to her coaching team, Vasilij Zbogar and Rory Fitzpatrick.'
Meanwhile, in her debut senior world championship, Sienna Wright (Howth YC) posted a commendable mid-fleet finish. A standout ninth-place in her opening race and several top-20 results point to a promising future for the young sailor.
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