Wiffen and McSharry lead mix of proven and future Irish stars at World Championships
OLYMPIC CHAMPION DANIEL Wiffen and fellow Paris medallist Mona McSharry will lead a 12-person Swim Ireland squad at the World Aquatics Championships.
A year on from a historic three-medal haul in France last summer, the pair will be in action in Singapore starting this July.
Advertisement
Wiffen's aim is to defend the 800 metre and 1500m Freestyle world titles that he won in Doha in 2024.
The pair are joined by Olympic finalist Ellen Walshe, as well as Shane Ryan who won the men's 50m backstroke bronze medal at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest just before Christmas.
The talented group will be aiming for semi-final and final appearances across eight days of competition.
The next wave of Irish talent in the pool will also be on show, Jhn Shortt, Evan Bailey and Ellie McCartney joining last year's European champion Danielle Hill and Olympic semi-finalist Tom Fannon in Singapore.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Roy Keane meets Inter Miami superstars like Luis Suarez but fans reckon he ‘must be disappointed'
ROY Keane got to meet Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi not Lionel Messi while visiting Inter Miami's facility. The Corkman has jetted stateside to take in the knockout stages of the inaugural - 4 Meeting arguably the best striker of his generation isn't a bad consolation prize Credit: @intermiamicf 4 What a central midfield pairing this would've been in an alternate universe Credit: @intermiamicf 4 Jordi Alba also followed pal Messi to Florida Credit: @intermiamicf 4 The Argentine wizard turned 38 on Tuesday Credit: Getty The MLS outfit have a daunting last-16 match-up ahead of them against But at least Keane got to meet some of their most recognisable squad members while they're still in the competition and still in chipper form. Aside from a few followers noting he's bearing quite a resemblance to Shane reckoned: "Must be disappointed to not meet Messi." Read More On Irish Football While Curtis suggested: "Could use him against PSG keep them straight." Sean hailed: "The best Irish player of all time." And finally, someone else surmised en Espanol: "Roy livin la vida buena." Messi is set to face Most read in Football Inter Miami - sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference - face a formidable challenge against the Ligue 1 giants. David Beckham in hospital as Victoria shares picture of star with arm in sling & sweet 'get well soon daddy' message However, they appeared to lose momentum in a surprise defeat to Brazilian side Botafogo, and looked far from their fluent best in a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field. Now into the knockout rounds, PSG are expected to find another gear, with a potential quarter-final clash against either Flamengo or The bookmakers clearly agree, pricing the Parisian giants at 1/6 to win in 90 minutes, while Jordi Alba described PSG as 'the best team in the world right now'. As for Inter Miami, they came close to topping Group A but conceded two late goals against Palmeiras, setting up this tough tie. It would have been Botafogo otherwise. ABOUT TO GET MESSI? Still, they have shown they can compete at this level - sandwiching a win over Porto between draws against Palmeiras and Al Ahly. The Florida-based side are unbeaten in six matches across all competitions, scoring 16 goals in that stretch - a solid run of form but unlikely to trouble their imperious opponents. Sorry if it sounds disparaging to all those Inter Miami supporters out there - but this could easily be a cricket score providing PSG can snap out of their two-game malaise. And they should be able to. The European champions looked a completely different class during their Champions League success, and their 5-0 final win over Inter Milan only highlights their ability to humble even the best. Suarez and Messi, both aged 38, should have their work cut out against such a young, quick, powerful and dynamic PSG side. Inter Miami have also shipped a colossal 29 goals in their last 13 games in all competitions. PSG, meanwhile, have scored 3+ goals in five of their last seven games.


Irish Independent
44 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy reach men's heavyweight double semi-finals at World Cup regatta
The Olympic gold medallists moved up after their lightweight rowing was no longer an Olympic class. McCarthy teamed up with Konan Pazzaia to take bronze at the European Championships last month and the two did enough to qualify from an exciting heat in Lucerne. First and second were guaranteed semi-final places. Azerbaijan led through the first two quarters, but in the third quarter New Zealand grabbed the lead and did not let it go, despite a feisty effort by Ireland, who hit 42 strokes per minute as the line approached but had to settle for second. O'Donovan and his new partner, Daire Lynch, were also involved in a battle coming to the line of their heat and also took second. This time the Independent Neutral Athletes (AIN) crew battled it out with the Irish, and Aleksandr Iakolev and Andrei Potapkin held on to win, by just .24 of a second. The AIN moniker has allowed some athletes from Russia and associated countries to compete. Lynch took bronze at last year's Olympic Games in a double with Philip Doyle, and will hope to step back up to that level. 'Tough enough going. Hopefully we'll get better,' he told after the heat. The morning had started well for Ireland. Fiona Murtagh won the very first race of the day. The Olympic medallist in the four from 2021 came into this heat of the single sculls on the back of a silver at the European Championships and she is revelling in this new discipline for her. She saw off Swiss and Belgian competition to qualify directly for Saturday's semi-final in the second fastest time of the day. 'Bit of a slow start, bit of a headwind out there, so conditions are a bit slow,' Murtagh told 'I was just trying to lock into that rhythm in the middle and get myself going again. Conditions were flat, but looking forward to tomorrow and stepping on again.' Alison Bergin could only finish sixth in the same heat. Repechages have been replaced by a next-best-time system of progression and the Fermoy woman missed out on her chance of staying in the hunt for a medal place and will compete in the D Final. Siobhán McCrohan won her heat of the lightweight single. The 37-year-old took gold and bronze in the last two World Championships. But she was fifth and last early in this race as Valeria Palacios of Peru set a hot pace. If there was a worry that McCrohan's old failing of leaving it too late to sprint was recurring, it was unfounded. She moved through the field, took the lead just after the 1500 metres mark and held it from there. The Ireland women's double of Zoe Hyde and Mags Cremen qualified for the semi-finals. They placed third in a fine race and just missed out on a guaranteed place, but made it through because their time was one of the fastest. Britain looked on course to win but the Greece-Ireland battle for the vital second spot was so hot that Greece beat Britain on the line, with Ireland just behind them. The women's four and the men's quadruple came in at the back of their heats and go directly to B Finals.


The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
‘No controversy whatsoever' – Defiant Katie Taylor snaps back at narrative around Amanda Serrano rematch
KATIE Taylor believes she gave one of her greatest ever performances last November when she defeated Amanda Serrano for a second time. And the Bray bruiser is keen to dish out more punishment when the old rivals meet for the third time 2 The Olympic gold medallist will be hoping to make it 3-0 against Serrano on July 11 2 Taylor defeated Serrano by a unanimous decision back in November The so-called trilogy fight will headline the first-ever all-female card at the legendary boxing venue. Taylor leads the series 2-0 after judges Taylor also won via a split decision when the pair The 2012 Olympic gold medallist — who fought her first fight as an amateur in 2001 — said: 'It was definitely one of my best performances. Read more on Irish Sport 'I love the way I was able to push her back and outfight her. I think I outboxed her in the first fight. I actually outfought her in the second.' That view is at odds with Netflix commentary team of Mauro Ranallo, ring legend Roy Jones Jr and actress Rosie Perez. Ranallo and Perez claimed the judges had got it wrong. Jones Jr sided with the winner. Throughout the broadcast — viewed by 75 million fight fans worldwide — Ranallo and Perez had controversially suggested it was a one-sided contest in favour of Serrano. Taylor, however, has long since shrugged off the pundits' objections. She added: 'I recently looked back at that fight and if you turn the commentary off, it's actually a very, very clear win for me. Most read in Boxing "There was no controversy whatsoever. The commentary made it controversial but I was very happy with that performance. 'But there's still more I can do as well, which is very positive for me. It was a great performance but I feel like I still haven't shown my best. That's very, very exciting for me.' 'Irish cannot handle spice' - Watch Katie Taylor struggle in hilarious challenge with TWO Hollywood A-listers The first fight between the pair, was the first women's bout to headline the Garden. But with Taylor two-up, what is her motivation for a third contest? The 38-year-old replied: 'I just want to be involved in the biggest fight possible. After the last fight, I knew this was still the biggest fight that people were talking about. 'People were interested in seeing a third fight. Because of that, I wanted to step back in there again. I don't need this fight, she does. And so I just want to be involved in these big fights. 'So to have a chance to be a part of an all-female card in Madison Square Garden again, live on Netflix, this is a one-in-a-million kind of opportunity. I feel very, very privileged and blessed to be in this position, really.' GREATNESS NEVER SLEEPS Taylor's professional boxing record stands at a remarkable 24-1 and she has reached the pinnacle of her sport in the amateur and pro ranks. But the Irishwoman reckons her mindset always remains the same. Taylor added: 'I'm excited about the fight. I'm excited to have this opportunity again. I feel good, I feel sharp. 'I'm actually just excited to jump in there. I think there's always going to be a bit of pressure at this level. But as Billie Jean said, the pressure is a privilege. So it is a great, great position to be in.' Last November, Taylor had a point deducted for excessive use of the head in the eighth round having been warned twice about it beforehand. HEAD CLASH CONTROVERSY Looking back, the revved-up puncher believes it was a 'ridiculous' call. Taylor explained: 'Even at that moment, there were no head clashes. And all the complaining about the head, but that's what happens a lot of times . . . you just clash heads. 'Her head hit my head as well. I also got a cut from that. That was actually uncomfortable for me as well. 'We both came together, we clashed heads and to get a point of deduction, even for that, in that moment, there's no head clash during that moment. But regardless, I can look back and smile now because I came out as a winner.' Having shared a ring with Serrano for 20 rounds, there is a respect between the two fighters. And while both have achieved iconic feats in the sport, Taylor admitted: 'I don't actually have any relationship with her outside of the fights but I do think Amanda's a great person. 'We've obviously spent 20 rounds in the ring together. I have obviously an awful lot of respect for her. I think she's a great athlete and fighter. 'So maybe after this trilogy, we can sit down together and actually . . . I don't know what the future holds in terms of friendship, but I have nothing against Amanda. 'I think she is a fantastic person. I'm very, very grateful that I have a fighter like that to share the ring with because my name's always going to be named alongside her name and vice versa. 'I think every fighter needs a really good dance partner. And I'm very, very grateful that we've been able to share the ring together over these last few years and make history together.' KATIE TAYLOR vs Amanda Serrano will stream LIVE on Netflix exclusively on Friday, July 11, from Madison Square Garden in New York City. In the first-ever all-women's boxing card in Madison Square Garden history, Ireland's undisputed champion Katie Taylor faces Brooklyn's Puerto Rican boxing trailblazer and seven-division champion Amanda Serrano in a historic trilogy fight no one will want to miss. The event is produced, marketed, and promoted by Most Valuable Promotions and distributed by Netflix.