'The girls know exactly who I am now'

THERE HAS BEEN a real shift in how Eve McMahon is being treated on the water, and she can feel it.

It’s in the split-second decisions being made around her. Where once her fellow racers would allow her to cross in front, that’s now gone. Rivals are even striving to get her penalised.

The young Irish sailor is no longer the up-and-comer the fleet indulges. She is a marked boat on the back of the success she has achieved over the past couple of years — McMahon hit the top of the world rankings for the first time last summer — and is now treated as a serious contender.

She loves it. “I used to be the young gun who people would say is just young and has a good race here or there. It’s shifted for sure, I’ve definitely felt it,” says the 22-year-old.

“The girls are definitely keeping an eye on me. There’s been no crosses. If they can try and get a penalty on you, they’ll push it to get the penalty on you. I’m definitely a marked boat at the moment, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I love seeing that there’s this young person coming through, and they know it. The girls know exactly who I am now, and they’re not going to allow anything easy. That makes my sailing tougher. But that’s what I train for.

“To be racing against girls on their fourth Olympic campaign and Olympic medallists and to feel that respect from them — it’s incredible.”

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McMahon is reflecting on back-to-back podium finishes to start her season — gold in Palma followed by silver in Hyères last week. She led into the final day in Hyères by two points over Charlotte Rose, only for the title to swing the American’s way in the final race.

“To be honest, I was gutted,” the Howth woman says. “Gold was literally just there. In the last race, it was basically whoever beat whom. I was ahead of her, and one little wind shift changed it. She got around the top mark first, and that was it.

“It was bittersweet. But I have to check myself and be like: ‘This is still an insane medal.’ It’s been a pretty incredible start to the season in tricky events with a stacked fleet of experience.”

McMahon credits a more structured off-season with coach Vasily Zbogar — the three-time Olympic medallist who began working with her last year — as a major factor in her strong start.

Everything was planned out over the winter, and she has felt the benefit of consistent training in the wind. “It’s really paid off,” she smiles.

So too has her ability to balance aggression with composure. Currently third in the world rankings, McMahon believes she is choosing her moments better to seize control of races.

“I’ve always been known as an aggressive sailor,” she says. “I’ve kind of tamed myself back to be aggressive when I need to be aggressive and then sail smart when I need to sail smart. That seems to be working.”

What perhaps pleases her most is proving she can hold up under pressure when more experienced rivals expect otherwise. Having made her Olympic debut in Paris, McMahon is sure to be in the medal mix in LA in two years.

“I think they think I’ll crack under pressure, but I thrive in it,” she says. “Some of them had shockers in the final fleet, and I had two great races. It’s been great to show I can hold my nerve.

“I’ve grown up with two older brothers, so I’m well used to the nitty-gritty side of things. But I think when you’re in the environment, and everything is on the line, you’ll do anything to get the medal.”

That mindset will be tested again at the European Championships in Croatia, where McMahon heads this week for a two-and-a-half-week build-up.

Unlike the rushed turnaround before France, she will have time to settle into the venue, although she will also be sitting three of her final four international commerce UCD exams while she is there, with the last one deferred until June.

“UCD have been very flexible so I can sit them in Croatia at the same time as everyone else,” she explains. “I finish my exams and then have a week of training before racing starts.

“I’ve been doing it for four years now. I strive to perform, and a lot of people are saying that in university, you just have to pass. But for me, I really want to do well as well.

“So in both my sport and my academics, it’s quite important to me to not just get a degree but to have a high level of grades within the degree. That’s what I’ve been striving for.”

You wouldn’t bet against her.