Shane Ryan finishes tenth in 100m freestyle at World Championships

The 30-year-old, a three-time Olympian, broke the Irish 100m freestyle record in the heat on Wednesday.

Shane Ryan after breaking the Irish 100m freestyle record in Budapest. Picture: Nikola Krstic/Sportsfile

Shane Ryan narrowly missed out on a spot in the 100m freestyle final at the short course World Swimming Championships in Budapest on Wednesday. The 30-year-old finished tenth overall in the semi-finals, 0.15 outside the last of the eight qualifying spots.

Ryan finished fourth in his semi-final, swimming 46.24, just 0.01 slower the new Irish record which he had set in the heats earlier in the day. The three-time Olympian had been eighth after the first length but surged into the lead by the final turn only the be caught in the closing metres.

Six swimmers qualified from the faster second semi-final - five of them touching the wall in under 46 second - meaning that just two qualified from Ryan's race for Thursday's final. 

"It was a great swim," said Ryan.

"I definitely swam it a little bit different tonight, but it’s just a lack of racing this year in the 100 free. The last time I did 100 free was long course  at the Olympic Games and the first one (since) was this morning. 

"So look we changed it and I think we capitalised on it a bit more. But it’s just I get better when I race and knowing and understanding my body and how it feels moving through the water efficiently, but still quick. 

"I mean this worlds is I think one of the fastest worlds ever. I think on the first day there was seven world records broken and probably a lot more to come."

Ryan will be back in the pool on Thursday for the 50m backstroke, an event in which he won bronze at these championships six years ago. That was Ireland's first ever world short course medal.

Ellen Walshe, who finished fifth in the 200m individual medley on Tuesday, goes in the 100m medley on Thursday. Also in action on Thursday will be Danielle Hill in the 50m backstroke, Nathan Wiffen in the 400m freestyle, and Jack Cassin in the 200m butterfly.