Three-time Irish Olympian Shane Ryan Steps Away from Competitive Swimming
Shane Ryan, an American-born three-time Olympian for Ireland, announced via social media that he is stepping away from competitive swimming.
Ryan made the post on social media.
He wrote in part:
“After years of representing Ireland and USA on the world stage and dedicating my life to the sport I love, I’ve made the decision to step away from competitive swimming.
“This sport has given me more than I could have ever imagined — the honor of wearing the green, the thrill of competing at 3 Olympic Games, and the lifelong friendships forged through countless hours in the pool and on the road. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve accomplished, not just in medals or records, but in the journey itself.”
Ryan said he’ll remain active in swimming and in the sporting movement, which is something he has done often in his career.
Ryan went to high school in Pennsylvania and swam at Penn State. After swimming at U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012 and twice making the U.S. National Junior Team, he switched to Ireland, the country of his father’s birth. He swam at the Rio Olympics, making the semifinals of the men’s 100 backstroke.
His biggest professional accomplishment is a pair of bronze medals in the men’s 50 backstroke, at the World Short-Course Championships in 2018 and 2024. He also won bronze in that event at European Championships in 2018 (long-course) and 2019 (short course) and swam professionally in the ISL with the Toronto Titans.
He finished 19th in the 50 back and 28th in the 50 fly at the 2025 World Championships.
Ryan set three Penn State records and won three Big Ten titles. He was the World University Games champion in the 50 back in 2017.
Ryan injured his shoulder ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, requiring reconstruction surgery. He qualified for but did not swim backstroke, but he set a national record in the 100 fly as well as anchoring the qualified 800 free relay. He made the A cut but did not swim the 50 free at the Paris Olympics, instead anchoring the Irish men’s medley relay with the third-fastest split of the event. Ireland, via Mona McSharry and Daniel Wiffen, won its first Olympic swimming medals since 1996 in Paris.
Ryan holds long-course Irish records in the 100 free, 50 back, 100 back and 100 fly, as well as short-course marks in the 50 free, 100 free, 50 back, 100 back, 50 fly and 100 fly.
