Sycerika McMahon
Swimming since she was 11 years old, Sycerika McMahon of Northern Ireland is now a collegiate swimmer for Texas A&M. McMahon is a versatile swimmer – she is primarily a breaststroker, but one that can swim any event. McMahon is a 2012 Irish Olympian – she qualified in the 100m breaststroke, and just missed advancing to the semi-finals by half-a-second. With intentions to major in Mathematics McMahon graduated from Stratheran School Belfast in 2013, where she was a student who took her academics very seriously. Not only was she a peer mentor, but she also studied in four advanced levels. At 17 years old, McMahon became the youngest Irish swimmer to ever medal in a major event when she brought home a bronze medal from the 2012 European Championships. She’s also the second-fastest Aggie in history in the 100 breaststroke, which she accomplished in just her first season. McMahon is a tennis fan, and she claims that her favorite athlete is Rafael Nadal.
Texas A&M
2013-2014
As a freshman McMahon had a great first season for the Aggies – she was an asset at the SEC Championships, finishing fourth in the 100 breaststroke and 10th in the 200 IM. She qualified for the NCAA Championships, and although she didn’t score, she dropped time in the 200 IM to become the 10th-fastest in Aggie history.
2014-2015
McMahon is currently in her sophomore season as an Aggie. She finished 22nd in the 200 IM, 11th in the 100 breaststroke and 15th in the 200 breaststroke to help her team finish second at the SEC Championships. She again qualified for the NCAA Championships, this time finishing 30th in the 200 IM, 23rd in the 100 breaststroke and 31st in the 200 breaststroke.
International Competition
As a swimmer for the Leadner ASC club team, McMahon competed at the 15th FINA World Championships in the 200m IM, 200m freestyle and 100m freestyle. She was the 2011 European Junior Champion in the 400m freestyle as well as the 50m breaststroke, recently in 2013 she swum her way to six Irish National titles. In the 100m breaststroke McMahon just finished outside the semi-finals at the 2012 London Olympics, missing the heat by around .5 seconds – she also competed in the 200m IM. At the 2012 European Championships she nabbed a silver in the 50m long course breaststroke and a bronze in the 50m short course breaststroke.