A hero’s welcome awaits in Ballyshannon on Wednesday evening for the Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry. Ballyshannon Marlins Swimming Club will welcome the return of its long-serving member and her club coach Grace Meade to the town for what promises to be an historic evening. Wednesday’s celebration follows on from Tuesday night’s homecoming event in McSharry’s home village of Grange in north Sligo. A host of Special guests are set to attend with an event stage and large screen being put in place at the festival site at the Market Yard in Ballyshannon town centre that has been decked out in Olympic and Irish flags. Master of ceremonies on the main stage for this evenings event will be Marty Morrissey from RTE Sport, having recently greeted the Irish Olympic Team on Dublin’s O’Connell Street. There will also be music from the CCE Phil Rooney Branch from 6pm. The victory parade will begin at 6.45pm, led by the St. Catherine’s Marching Band, Killybegs and will see Mona McSharry proudly display her Olympic medal flanked by her Coach Grace Meade and members of Ballyshannon’s Marlins Swimming Club. The Parade will start on the Bundoran Road crossing Allingham Bridge on to Main Street through the Gables and back towards the Market Yard Festival site to the event stage. The Olympic Medallist will be met by Special guests including the Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr. Niamh Kennedy and representatives from Ulster Swimming and Swim Ireland. Guests, members of the McSharry Family and Mona will be interviewed and the “Great Paris Moments” will be relayed on the large screen as well as the special medal winning swim and medal ceremony from the 2024 Olympic Games. McSharry has previously suggested that she would finish up after the 2024 Games in Paris. However, the bronze medal hero from Paris suggested that her Olympic career was over after her magical performance in the La Défense Arena secured Ireland their first medal of the 2024 games. A two-time Olympian already at just the age of 24, McSharry has since softened her stance and admitted to Off The Ball on Tuesday that she could well compete at the 2028 Olympics in LA. However, the 100m breaststroke specialist was keen to stress that now isn’t the time for a decision to be made and that she will only carry on if she retains her love of training and competing. “I’m definitely more on the maybe now. I’m not going to make a decision now. “It would be selfish and crazy of me to decide on another Olympics based on what I’m experiencing right now because winning another medal is not confirmed. “I’d need to go back training and see do I still love training, do I still love the 99% because that would have to be the reason why I choose to go back. “And so I’m just going to park that decision and leave it at a maybe for now and take it one year at a time. Definitely not planning another four year plan, I’m just going to try and leave it a little bit more relaxed and let myself see how it goes. “You never know. I could be in LA. It’s definitely interesting because coming up to 2024, three years ago, two years ago it was like ‘no I’m definitely done after 2024.’ “And then you get closer to it and you’re like ‘I’ll probably do one more year after 2024 but definitely not 2028.’ “And then you get closer and you’re done with 2024 and you’re like ‘Ah, maybe I’ll do 2028.’ “It’s hard. You could go forever, so it’s tough to let go.” McSharry’s decision will be one to watch as she weighs up the potential of competing in Los Angeles, but one thing is certain, her dedication and passion for the sport are undeniable.