Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe made an impressive start to the opening leg of the World Aquatics World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday, with both Irish swimmers claiming silver medals in their respective events. The double Olympians will compete in three World Cup events across October in Baku, Azerbaijan (1-3 October), Tashkent, Uzbekistan (8-10 October) and Astana, Kazakhstan (15-17 October).

McSharry finished second in the 200m Breaststroke, touching the wall in 2:18.45, just 0.18 seconds outside her Irish record of 2:18.27, set at the 2025 World Cup. Russia’s Evgeniia Chikunova took gold in 2:17.20, with McSharry the only other swimmer to break the 2:20 barrier. Vitalina Simonova secured bronze in 2:21.21.

Walshe also opened her World Cup campaign with a runner-up finish, clocking 2:05.58 in the 200m Butterfly. The three-time European Champion delivered a strong performance to secure silver behind China’s Chang Mohan, who claimed gold in 2:04.15. Another Chinese swimmer, Xinyang Zhou, completed the podium in third with a time of 2:05.65.

Walshe holds the Irish record in the event with a time of 2:02.36, set at the final stop of the 2025 World Aquatics World Cup series.

Action continues Friday with McSharry competing in the 100m Breaststroke and Walshe in the 400m Individual Medley.

World Aquatics World Cup Stop 1 – Baku, Azerbaijan (1-3 October)

Day 1 Results

Women 200m Breaststroke Mona McSharry F 2:18.45 (2)
Women 200m Butterfly Ellen Walshe F 2:05.58 (2)

 

Day 2 Schedule: 02/10/2026

Women 100m Breaststroke        Mona McSharry

Women 400m IM                          Ellen Walshe

Day 3 Schedule: 03/10/2026

Women 50m Breaststroke          Mona McSharry

Women 200m IM                          Ellen Walshe