Shane Ryan claims 50m backstroke bronze for Ireland at World Swimming Championships
WORLD MEDALLIST: Shane Ryan of Ireland celebrates winning bronze in the 50m backstroke. Picture: ©INPHO/Andrea Masini
Shane Ryan claimed a bronze medal for Ireland in the 50m backstroke at the short course World Swimming Championships in Budapest on Friday.
The 30-year-old swam 22.56, smashing his own Irish record in the process.
Ryan - who was second at the turn swimming from lane eight in the two-length race - finished behind winner Miron Lifintsev, an 18-year-old Russian competing as a neutral athlete. The teenager swam 22.47, a new world junior record while Australian 20-year-old Isaac Cooper claimed silver in 22.49. In fourth was Hubert Kos, the Hungarian Olympic gold medallist with Cork connections.
In winning the bronze medal, Ryan replicated his achievement at these championships six years ago when he became the first Irish swimmer to claim a medal at the short course championships. It was the time from that 2018 race, 22.76, which Ryan beat to set the new Irish record.
"I love the outside lane, outside smoke, you have a clean lane next to you," said Ryan.
"I think it’s like because I’m a bit older, I know just what to do and each swim, I need to be better and I cleaned it up right and it worked out. I couldn’t believe it.
"Look I came in, I knew I wanted to make top eight, and then it was just going out and having fun and racing the guys and that’s what I did tonight and came out third which is great and a PB.
"It’s nice to see the tricolour flag being raised again, now I need to get ready for that 50m free [on Saturday]."
Also on Friday evening, Ellen Walshe qualified for the final of the 100m butterfly third fastest overall from the semi-finals. The 23-year-old continued her remarkable feat of setting an Irish record in each of her races at these championships. She has set eight records in eight visits to the pool in Budapest, the other records coming in the 100m and 200m medleys. Walshe swam 55.50 in a semi-final on Friday which saw American Gretchen Walsh break the world record, swimming 52.87.
"What a race to be a part of," said Walshe, "the world record holder and then it was broken again. I was right beside it so yeah, it’s phenomenal and exciting for [Saturday] night."
Between the heat earlier on Friday - in which she swam a then Irish record of 56.17 - and the semi-final, Walshe said was "practicing the small things, like turns, underwaters, breakouts and stuff".
"It really does come down to the small things that make a difference," she added, "and I guess being beside the world record holder you’re going to try and hang on as close as you can but yeah it was a great race."
Walshe goes in the 100m butterfly final at 4:32pm on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, she will be in the pool for the 400m medley.
Also in action on Friday was Limerick's Eoin Corby who set a new Irish record in the 200m breaststroke as he finished 17th overall.
𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗭𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗨𝗗𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗦𝗧!
— Swim Ireland (@swimireland) December 13, 2024
Shane Ryan wins a stunning bronze medal in the 50m Backstroke Final!
Ryan clocks 22.56 in an epic race in Budapest 👊#AQUABudapest2024 pic.twitter.com/uAHu6L6KQY
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