Meet first-time Olympian Ryan Held. The NC State Wolfpack have been on a tear over the past three years, with Held as one of the driving forces. After a big swim in the B-final at the 2015 Summer Nationals, Held jumped on the radar as a threat in Omaha. He made the next leap during the 2016 collegiate season, and backed it up with a third place finish in the 100 freestyle at Olympic Trials
In his “Meet the Team” interview, Held talks about the racing culture of his the NC State team, how he got into the sport, and his “no name” status among the common swim fan leading into 2016 Trials.
Ryan Held is a sprint freestyle and butterfly specialist from Springfield, Illinois. He qualified for his first Olympic Games at the 2016 U.S Olympic Trials in a close fought 100 yard freestyle.
Held attended Sacred Heart-Griffin High School where he was a multiple time state champion and record breaker. In his senior year in 2014 he was named Illinois State Swimmer of the Year.
North Carolina State University
Held took his sprinting talents to North Carolina State University where he joined a team of successful sprinters.
2014-2015
As a freshman, Held was a big part of the wolf packs relay success. He was a member of the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays that took the ACC championship titles. At the NCAA Championships he was a member of the 400 and 800 yard freestyle relays that placed 2nd to earn All-American honors. He was also named a second team All-American in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle.
2015-2016
At the 2016 NCAA championships Held helped NC State to its first ever relay national title. The Wolfpack won the 400 yard freestyle relay and added silvers in the 200 and 800 relays. In his individual events, Held finished 4th in the 100 yard freestyle, 7th in the 50 and 9th in the 200.
International Career
Held earned his first international call up at the 2016 Olympic Games in the 400 yard freestyle relay, narrowly missing out on the individual spot. In a close fought finish at the Trials, Held was coming back on Florida’s Caleb Dressel but the touch didn’t go his way. Held finished 3 hundredths of a second behind second place. His third place finish was enough to earn him a spot on the relay in Rio.
It has changed! Well done!
Rowdy should henceforth introduce you as Olympic gold medalist in the 4×100 freestyle relay, Ryan Held!
Good luck to Ryan. I coached him in one session of fall soccer. I am sure he wouldn’t even remember. Make Springfield proud. We will be rooting for you!
My son, Timothy, was on that team too! You two were great coaches. Orange and black were our team colors, I believe.
Ryan Held is so refreshing!! Modest, yet confident. Handsome. yet approachable. And while I still love Rowdy, Ryan should have been on his radar. All the more motivation for Ryan to show the world his WOLFPACK STYLE!
I’ve been following Ryan Held for a while due to (among other things) the NC State connection and the UNCW connection where my daughter swam. I saw every race he swam at NCAA and was surprised he was so invisible to the coverage during Trials. Three-hundredths out of qualifying individually (and a nice 200) and he was barely discussed. I may be wrong, but i think it’s between Ervin and Held for that last spot in the relay finals. Of course, even then it will be the “Michael Phelps relay”.
Ryan is a fine young man. He is confident yet modest. He is an Eagle Scout. He has an easy smile and he is quick with a joke. But when the that starting horn sounds he is a stone cold steely eyed killer.
Rowdy Gaines comments during trials were a little embarrassing. Held was “on the list” of guys to make top6 in the 100 free before trials. His comments towards Held were ignorant. Look at his SCY times from the Spring. Held was and IS the real deal.
With Ryan Held and Caeleb Dressel , Us sprinting is waking up again with a lot of great promises . It will be very interesting to follow his time in the prelims of the relay on Sunday .
Like this guy and like the “racing attitude” and smack talking. Swimming needs more of that. Everyone likes a good race. I try to get my 10 year olds to get pumped up for in practice racing and do the trash talk thing to get more emotional investment in “meaningless” races. Sets them up well to handle the pressure of big meet situations to not be afraid of laying it all out.
You get ten year olds to trash talk each other?
In the only way 10 year olds know how to. I try to let my kids be kids. They hear enough no’s from everyone else. Happy kids are fast kids, and happy fast kids trash talk.