Shane Ryan
Swimming
BIOGRAPHY
He has represented Ireland in three consecutive Olympic Games. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he competed in the 100m backstroke, reaching the semifinals and finishing 16th overall with a time of 54.35 seconds. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he swam in the same event, finishing 23rd in the heats with a time of 53.73 seconds. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he was part of Ireland’s men’s 4x100m medley relay team, swimming the freestyle leg as the team set a new national record of 3:33.81 and placed 11th in the heats.
Ryan has achieved significant success in international competition, winning gold in the 50m backstroke at the 2017 World University Games, a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke at the 2018 European Championships, and another bronze at the 2018 World Short Course Championships. He holds multiple Irish records, including a national best of 21.82 seconds in the 50m freestyle, set at the 2024 European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade.
His eligibility to represent Ireland comes from his father, Thomas, who emigrated from Portarlington, County Laois, while his mother, Mary Beth Bonner, also has Irish heritage. Ryan graduated from Penn State University with a degree in sports management and has been based in Ireland since before the Rio Olympics.
OTHER SWIMMING ATHLETES
SWIMMING NEWS
In The News – April 13th
A strong week for Team Ireland across multiple sports, with standout performances and important developments across the high-performance system. Golf Rory McIlroy delivered a historic back-to-back victory at The Masters Tournament, finishing on -12 to secure his sixth major title. The win further underlines his place among the greats of the game and marks a [...]
Istanbul 2027 European Games
A Key Step on the Road to LA28 The 4th European Games will take place in Istanbul, Turkey from 16 to 27 June 2027, one year out from the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. For Team Ireland, Istanbul represents a significant moment in the LA28 cycle: a major competitive platform, a qualification opportunity across multiple [...]
In The News – 23 March 2026
Athletics 2026 World Indoor Championships Kate O’Connor delivered another landmark moment for Irish athletics, securing bronze in the pentathlon at the 2026 World Indoor Championships and further cementing her place among the country’s most consistent championship performers. Her 4,820-point total represented a significant step forward, 97 points higher than her silver-medal performance the previous year, [...]
In the News – 9 March 2026
Hockey The Irish Men’s and women’s hockey teams qualify for the FIH World Cup, after competing in the Qualifiers tournament in Santiago, Chile. The Ireland Men’s Hockey Team closed out their FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers with a win over France to take top spot in the tournament. Having trailed by a goal, Ireland fought [...]
Swim Ireland Appoint Andy Reid as New National Performance Director
Swim Ireland announced the appointment of Andy Reid as the organisation’s new National Performance Director. Reid has been Interim National Performance Director since May 2025 and is the former Head of Performance Pathways & Operations, having worked in the Swim Ireland Performance team since 2010. He is also a former Irish international swimmer and represented Ireland at European and World [...]
IN THE NEWS – AUGUST 11th
New Kids on the Block – Ireland’s Rising Stars Shine This Summer This summer has been a defining moment for Team Ireland’s rising stars. From the pool to the river and the track to the showjumping arena, our junior athletes have charged into finals, stood proudly on podiums and achieved remarkable milestones on both European [...]