John Shortt Takes Down Shane Ryan’s 100 Back Irish National Record

2026 GIANT OPEN

• March 20th – March 22nd
• Olympic Aquatic Center, Saint-Denis, France
• LCM (50m)
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• SwimSwam Preview #2
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• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap
• Live Results

The last day of action at the 2026 Giant Open in France saw 19-year-old John Shortt capture a new Irish record in the men’s 100m backstroke.

Racing in the final last evening, Shortt stopped the clock at speedy 53.37 to take the silver behind winner Apostolos Christou of Greece.

Christou, the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the 200m back, got to the wall first in 53.09 while Frenchman Yohann Ndoye-Brouard rounded out the podium in 54.15.

As for Shortt, his 53.37 effort knocked significant time off the former Irish standard of 53.73, which retired Olympian Shane Ryan put on the books in 2019.

Shortt nearly evenly split his swim, opening in 26.51 and closing in 26.86.

After last night’s race, Christou now ranks 4th in the world while Shortt takes over the 6th slot. Ndoye-Brouard already ranked 10th on the season, courtesy of his quicker 53.67 notched at January’s Pro Swim Series in Westmont.

Earlier at this competition, Shortt lowered his own Irish record in the 200m back, registering a lifetime best of 1:56.09.

Shortt is the existing national standard holder in the SCM 100 back (50.10), 200 back (1:47.89) and 200 IM (1:55.80).

Along with winning the 100m and 200m back at last year’s World Junior Championships, the teen’s resume includes taking gold at the 2025 European Short Course Championships in the 200m back and 2025 European Junior Championships gold in the 100m back.