Ryan claims first European medal in six years and sets a new Irish record
SHANE RYAN has claimed Ireland’s first medal at a European Long Course Swimming Championships in six years as the 24-yearold took bronze in the 50m backstroke final. It took Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov to break the world record to prevent Ryan from winning the title.
Ryan started well in the race and kept his momentum throughout to move from fourth fastest after the semi-finals into the bronze medal position in 24.64 seconds.
Speaking after the race Ryan said: ‘I’m really delighted, I executed the preparation a little bit better, the time wasn’t really there but that doesn’t really matter, you’ve got to bring hardware home to Ireland, that’s what really matters.
‘I really just tried to nail the start, I knew that if I nailed that then I’d be in contention, I just tried to drive home and be consistent with the stroke and get my hand to the wall.’
Kolesnikov set the new world standard of 24.00 for gold ahead of Romania’s Robert Glinta 24.54 in silver.
National Performance Director Jon Rudd said of Ryan: ‘Everyone loves a medal and we thought that Shane’s 50m Backstroke was our best chance of one before the meet started. That’s not to say more aren’t possible.’
Ryan will be back in action today in the 100m backstroke heats. Joining him in the event tomorrow will be Conor Ferguson.
Brendan Hyland set a new Irish Record as he competed in the first of the 200m butterfly semi-finals. Hyland did his best morning time ever in the heats, then went on to take two tenths of a second off his Irish Record of 1:57.44 in the semi-final to finish tenth overall in 1:57.28.
In the 100m Breaststroke semi-final Mona McSharry moved up to 14th overall. The 17-year-old lowered her time from this morning’s heats clocking 1:08.30.
History-maker Darragh Greene will also be back in the pool for the 200m Breaststroke. Greene’s 100m swim, where he went sub-one minte sets him up nicely for a great 200m performance.