Galway swimmer John Shortt, just 18 years old, has made history by claiming gold in the 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Junior Championships in Romania. His time of 53.86 seconds secured the title and confirmed his place as one of Ireland’s brightest young sports stars.
Shortt’s victory came after an electric semi-final swim where he set a new Irish junior record of 53.80 seconds. In the final, he executed his race plan perfectly. Despite trailing early, he stormed back in the second half to edge out neutral athlete Georgii Iakovlev and American Gavin Keogh in a thrilling finish.
This golden moment makes Shortt only the second Irish swimmer ever to win a world junior gold, following in the footsteps of Mona McSharry, who achieved the feat in 2017 before going on to win Olympic bronze.
Reflecting on his triumph, Shortt said he was “proud to be Irish,” adding that standing on the podium and singing the national anthem on a world stage was one of the most meaningful moments of his young career.
The teen swimmer has already enjoyed an outstanding year, having won European Junior gold earlier this summer. His world title now cements him as one of the rising stars in international swimming, with the potential to inspire the next generation of Irish athletes.
His coach, John Szaranek, praised his discipline and determination, highlighting how Shortt trusted the race strategy and delivered when it mattered most.