Everyone knows about David Nolan’s National-Record breaking performance at last year’s Pennsylvania High School State Championship meet. There, he broke National High School Records in the 200 IM, 100 free, and 100 backstroke; and as a byproduct he also broke all three of those state records as well.
The shadow he cast was so great, that it would have been easy to miss noticing the swimmers he was racing against. But also in that 100 backstroke state final was Shane Ryan, who previously had broken the state record as just a sophomore and came into that meet as the defending state champion. Ryan himself finished in an incredible time of 47.53, that at any other state meet would have set off headlines and sirens across the swimming community.
Today, Ryan made a verbal commitment to swim for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he’s going to get plenty of the attention that he’s earned.
We mentioned his 100 backstroke best time (47.53), which would have ranked 2nd on the team last season. He is also an outstanding 50 freestyler (20.86) and 100 freestyler (45.50). Despite the loss to Nolan in the 100 back, he did earn his second-career state title in the 200 free in 1:38.36.
Ryan, who is a monster at 6’7, attends the same Haverford High School that turned out the great Brendan Hansen more than a decade ago. The State Record holder in that 100 back before him was Pat Schirk, who in 2008 became Penn State’s first ever National Champion (in the 200 back).
Ryan’s potential is ridiculous. The huge, 6’7 frame is hint number one, but consider also that at the state meet last year, he only had 185 pounds on that frame. He’s started lifting weights after the season, and has already packed on 10 pounds of muscle. His football coach once told him that he’s got the potential to be a Division 1 punter, which shows how athletic he is. Last year was the first time in his life that he swam full-time, year-round swimming as well. Swimming is fortunate that we hung on to him, and I think that this kid is going to become a huge name by the time he’s done at Penn State.
Ryan has dual Irish and American citizenship, and is aiming to qualify for the 2012 Olympics as part of the Irish National Team. By 2016, however, when his chances become more realistic, he would prefer to revert to his American status to try for a spot on Team USA.
I believe he would have to live a full year in Ireland before he could compete for that country internationally.
ct – the year of residency rule only applies to a “naturalised” citizen. Because Ryan is a citizen of Ireland by birth (his father was Irish and born on the Island) the one year of residency doesn’t apply. The rule would apply, for example, to someone like Vlad Morozov, who if/when he receives his American citizenship will be a “naturalised” citizen, rather than a by-birth citizen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip1uz2vyF_4
around 1:40, he says he would have to live in Ireland for a year.
Nick – I think you’ll find that in swimming, there’s a lot of rules that people misunderstand. There are a few other places that cite this requirement in connection to Ryan, but they’re all likely taking his word for it.
Unless Ireland has a different rule than the rest of the world (which is unlikely), he would not need to live there for a year as a “citizen by birthright”.
The rule is below:
GR 2.5 When a competitor or competition official represents his/her country in a competition, he/she shall be a citizen, whether by birth or naturalisation, of the nation he/she represents, provided that a naturalised citizen shall have lived in that country for at least one year prior… Read more »
Brint, you think? I don’t.
Along with Louisville, Penn State is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. Hargis has done a great job in his 4 years there.