McSharry and Walshe deliver five medals for Ireland at European Aquatics Championships in Paris

Roommates deliver Ireland's five medals

Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe shared a hotel room at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris and hung their growing medal collection on the wall as a nightly motivator. By the end of the final session on Sunday, the roommates had accounted for all five of Ireland's medals at the championships. Walshe, 24, from Dublin, won gold in both the 200m and 400m individual medleys. McSharry, 25, from Sligo, collected silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in both the 200m and 50m breaststroke events.

The medals on the wall became part of their pre-race routine. Walshe described the ritual they developed before heading to the pool each evening.

That was just a really nice reminder when we hung the medals on the wall, that was the extra reminder when we left, 'Can we bring another one home tonight?'

McSharry said having a familiar roommate helped them manage the fatigue of a long competition week. The two shared books, cups of tea, biscuits and what Walshe called "loads of chats" throughout their time in Paris.

It's amazing that we are able to have each other at this point. We know we want to room together. We know each other so well, and that just takes away a little bit of doubt when we're away at these competitions.

McSharry breaks 30-second barrier

In the 50m breaststroke final on Sunday evening, McSharry swam 29.95 seconds, breaking her own Irish record of 30.29 and going under 30 seconds for the first time. She finished just 0.02 seconds behind gold medallist Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania, who won in 29.93, and 0.01 seconds behind silver medallist Benedetta Pilato of Italy, who touched in 29.94. McSharry had already claimed silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 200m breaststroke earlier in the week, giving her three podium finishes in five days at the Olympic Aquatic Centre.

Walshe just misses sixth medal

Walshe came close to adding a sixth medal for Ireland in the 200m butterfly final but finished fourth in 2:07.40, a new Irish record. She was 0.19 seconds behind bronze medallist Laura Cabanes of Spain, who touched in 2:07.21. Britain's Keanna MacInnes won gold in 2:05.90, with Denmark's Helena Rosendahl Bach taking silver in 2:06.14. Walshe had been seventh at halfway before her trademark late surge moved her through the field to fourth.

Fannon and relay teams

Tom Fannon finished sixth in the men's 50m freestyle final in 21.59, one hundredth of a second outside the Irish record of 21.58 he set the previous month. Ukraine's Nikita Sheremet won gold in 21.13, with Russia's Egor Kornev, competing as a neutral athlete, and Serbia's Andrej Barna both touching in 21.37 for silver and bronze.

The women's 4x100m medley relay team of Lottie Cullen, McSharry, Ellie McCartney and Grace Davison qualified for the final, finishing fifth in their heat in 4:00.95 for seventh overall. Cullen swam the backstroke leg in 1:01.25, McSharry the breaststroke in 1:04.75, McCartney the butterfly in 1:01.83, and Davison the freestyle in 54.12. Walshe was set to replace McCartney in the final. Cullen said she was grateful to Danielle Hill for giving up her spot in the team.

The men's 4x100m medley team of John Shortt, Jack Kelly, Jack Cassin and Evan Bailey set a new Irish record of 3:33.74 but missed the final by four-tenths of a second, earning second reserve status. In the men's 400m freestyle heats, Nathan Wiffen, Denis O'Brien and Cormac Rynn all failed to advance, with Wiffen the fastest of the trio in 3:35.82. Victoria Catterson withdrew from the women's 400m freestyle.