Shane Ryan’s world medal ‘for everyone’

Shane Ryan’s mind was whirring as he glided through the water in the 50m backstroke final at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Hangzhou yesterday.

The race ended with Ryan in third place, securing not just a bronze medal but a place in the record books as the first Irish swimmer to podium at this prestigious event.

The magnitude of what was within his grasp came into sharp perspective as soon as he hit the water.

He revealed: “Every stroke I was racing I was thinking, I’ve got to get my hand to the wall, not only for me but for Ireland, my coaches, my teammates, it’s not just for me it’s for everyone else, Irish swimming is in the spotlight, the future is really looking good for all of us.”

Ryan progressed through the rounds taking a sledge to national records with each outing - from 23.03 in the heats to 22.96 in Thursday’s semi-final before a huge leap to 22.76 in the final.

That final figure ranks the 24-year-old at number 9 in the all time record books..

The medal is Ryan’s third major podium finish, adding to World University Games gold in 2017 and European Championship bronze earlier this year: “I’m really really happy with how tonight went, I know with each race I wanted to get a little bit faster and just try to get my hand on the wall, tonight I’m happy I got my hand there, got a bronze medal and I’m glad Ireland were on that podium with the flag raised.”

Pennsylvania native Ryan, whose father Thomas, a Laois native, emigrated to the US in the 1980s, declared for Ireland two years ago having been a member of the US national squad. Ryan admitted that the venue meant one unexpected challenge for those competing in the backstroke: “It’s been difficult for backstrokers this week as the venue has a domed roof and it can be difficult to pick a spot on the ceiling, so some competitors have been hitting the lane ropes as a result.

“But look, the whole (Irish) squad have been swimming well here and it’s great to be part of the team that are breaking records and to win a medal is a real bonus.”

Ireland have won European Short Course (25m) medals in the past, but not at world level.

Russia’s Evengy Rylov took gold with 22.58, USA’s Ryan Murphy claimed silver in 22.63 and the battle for third left just three hundredths of a second between third and fifth, Ryan claiming the medal ahead of Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov (22.77) and Brazil’s Guilherme Guido (22.79).

Ryan returns to the pool today for the 100m freestyle heats and will be joined by Conor Ferguson, Darragh Greene, and Brendan Hyland for the 4x50m Medley Relay.

Greene also competes in the 50m breaststroke heats.

Niamh Coyne, 17, swam a personal best 1:07.19 in the 100m breaststroke. Swimming in her first senior international event Coyne has impressed this week with best times in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke.