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Shane Ryan sets new Irish 50m freestyle record at European Championships

Posted on by angelo
Shane Ryan sets new Irish 50m freestyle record at European Championships

SHANE RYAN HAS set a new Irish senior record in the 50m freestyle at the European Swimming Championships in Belgrade.

Ryan became the fastest Irish swimmer of all time in a long course pool (50m), clocking 21.82 in this morning’s heats. He shaved 0.12 seconds off Tom Fannon’s 21.94 at the Irish Open and Olympic Trials in May, which he matched yesterday at the Sette Colli Meet in Rome.

But Ryan made headlines by emerging as the fastest qualifier in the heats with a scintillating swim.

“I’m shocked, my goal was to do 21.89,” the 30-year-old said afterwards.

“It’s my first 50 free in two years, I’m delighted. I had shoulder surgery about two and a half years ago, so I’m excited about that time.

“I honestly don’t know what to say, it’s wild.”

The time was well below the Olympic qualifying standard, but Swim Ireland’s qualifying window has closed. Ryan, a 2016 and 2020 Olympian, told Swimming World he plans to appeal.

The next stage of the penultimate day of racing in Belgrade will take place this evening (5:58 p.m.).

Calum Bain will join Ryan after winning the next heat – despite a slight suit malfunction – and finishing fifth overall in 22.11, while Oisin Tebite placed 66th in 23.58.

Conor Ferguson qualified for the 100m backstroke semi-finals with a sixth place and a time of 54.74, while Niamh Coyne did not make it out of her 50m breaststroke heat after clocking 32 .52.

This evening, Danielle Hill will attempt to add to her gold medal from earlier in the week in the 100m backstroke final (6:16 p.m.). Lottie Cullen will also be in action in her first senior individual final.

Nathan Wiffen is in the final of the 1,500m freestyle (6:22 p.m.), while Ellie McCartney launches into the blocks for the decisive decision of the 200m medley (5:47 p.m.), with Ryan, Bail and Ferguson all in semi-final action.

Meanwhile, at the Sette Colli Meet in Rome, Ellen Walshe secured places in the A finals of the 100m butterfly and 400m individual medley. She finished eighth overall in the butterfly in 59.80, second in her heat and fifth overall in the individual medley in 4:44.95.

Darragh Greene qualified for the 50m breaststroke B final in 12th overall with a time of 28.15, while Victoria Catterson (56.50) and Erin Riordan (57.80) did not advance in the 100m freestyle.

Daniel Wiffen joins Walsh and Greene in action tonight in the 800m freestyle heats.