Shane Ryan has pulled out of the men’s 100m backstroke event at the Olympic Games in Tokyo as a result of a shoulder injury that he has sustained.
The Irish swimmer’s withdrawal is “based on persistent shoulder pain that he has been experiencing, which is specific to this particular stroke.”
The American-born swimmer will compete in the men’s 100m butterfly and the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay despite the shoulder injury.
The news will come as a major disappointment for the 27-year-old. He has serious pedigree in the backstroke event having won a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke at the 2018 European Aquatics Championships at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow.
The decision to not compete in the event was made by Team Ireland swimming and medical experts in Tokyo.