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Shane RYAN
Sport Swimming
NOC Ireland   
GenderMen
Born27 Jan 1994 in Drexel Hill, PA, USA
Height1.98 m
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Residence
Dublin, IRL
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
National Aquatic Centre [NAC]: Dublin, IRL
Further Personal Information
Higher education
Hospitality Management, Tourism - Pennsylvania State University: State College, PA, USA
General Interest
Awards and honours
While representing Pennsylvania State University, he was named Swimmer of the Meet at the 2014 Big Ten Championships in the United States of America. (onwardstate.com, 04 Mar 2014)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began swimming at age two at a pool in Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
Further Personal Information
Languages
English
General Interest
Other information
REPRESENTING IRELAND
Having previously represented the United States of America, in 2015 he announced that he would move to Dublin with a view to representing Ireland at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. His father Thomas is from Portarlington, Ireland. He moved to Dublin in May 2015 to complete the one-year residency requirements to be eligible to compete for Ireland. His decision to represent Ireland was swayed by the passionate support athletes receive from the public. "The Olympic Games is such a big honour, going for either the US or Ireland, but I'd rather pick Ireland because there it's such a passionate country. The sport over here is much different than it is in the US but I think it's more dedicated." (swimswam.com, 03 May 2015; utv.ie, 10 Dec 2015)
Milestones
His bronze medal in the 50m backstroke at the 2018 World Short Course Championships in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China, was the first medal for an Irish swimmer at the short course world championships. (fina.org, 16 Dec 2018; SportsDeskOnline, 27 Aug 2020)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach
Ben Higson [club, national]
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete
General Interest
Hobbies
Golf, playing video games. (Athlete, 21 Jul 2021)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning bronze in the 50m backstroke at the 2018 World Short Course Championships in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. (Athlete, 21 Jul 2021)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
His mother introduced him to the sport.
General Interest
Nicknames
Sugar Shane (Athlete, 21 Jul 2021)
Injuries
In December 2021, he underwent surgery on a long-term right shoulder injury. That injury, as well as an injury to his left shoulder, had forced him to withdraw from the 100m backstroke at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo before the heats, as the stroke caused him too much pain. (Instagram profile, 08 Dec 2021; independent.ie, 23 Jul 2021; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 23 Jul 2021)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
37 2021 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 52.52
14 2021 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:15.48
Semifinal 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Backstroke 54.40
Heats 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Freestyle 49.82
Heats 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 50m Freestyle 22.88
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
26 2024 Doha, QAT 50m Butterfly 23.83
24 2024 Doha, QAT 100m Freestyle 49.19
7 2024 Doha, QAT 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:35.28 
Heats 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 100m Freestyle 49.04
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 100m Backstroke 54.24
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 50m Backstroke 25.10
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
Semifinal 2017 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 53.94
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 50m Backstroke 25.48
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 50m Freestyle 22.79
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Backstroke 22.76
Semifinal 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 100m Freestyle 46.93
Heats 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Butterfly  DNS
Heats 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heats 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay  
European Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Heats 2022 Rome, ITA 50m Freestyle 23.08
13 2022 Rome, ITA 50m Backstroke 25.19
Heats 2022 Rome, ITA 100m Backstroke  DNS
Heats 2022 Rome, ITA 100m Butterfly 54.29
7 2021 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:34.88
Heats 2021 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heats 2021 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
3 2018 Glasgow, SCO 50m Backstroke 24.64
Semifinal 2018 Glasgow, SCO 100m Backstroke 54.79
Heats 2018 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heats 2018 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:17.55
Semifinal 2016 London, ENG 50m Backstroke 25.32
8 2016 London, ENG 100m Backstroke 54.49
Heats 2016 London, ENG 50m Freestyle 23.25
Heats 2016 London, ENG 100m Freestyle 50.22
7 2016 London, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:37.47
European Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Heats 2023 Otopeni, ROU 100m Backstroke 51.95
5 2023 Otopeni, ROU 50m Backstroke 23.12
Heats 2023 Otopeni, ROU 50m Butterfly  DNS
Semifinal 2023 Otopeni, ROU 100m Freestyle 47.23
6 2019 Glasgow, SCO 100m Backstroke 50.42
3 2019 Glasgow, SCO 50m Backstroke 23.12
8 2019 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:31.86
6 2019 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:34.24
Heats 2019 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay