Ryan Mitchell (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
Ryan Mitchell was an Australia
n breaststroke
swimmer of the 1990s, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
as part of the 4x100m medley relay team. Ryan began his swimming career in Port Augusta, where the Ryan Mitchell municipal swimming center is named after him today.
Growing up in Adelaide
and being coached by Glenn Beringen
at the South Australian Sports Institute
, Mitchell made his debut at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
in Victoria
, Canada
. He was the 1995 silver medalist in the 200m breaststroke at the world short course championships in Rio De Janeiro. He won selection to the national team for the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, after dead-heating with Phil Rogers
to win the 200m breaststroke at the Australian Championships. In December of same year, Mirchell broke the world record for Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay and the Australian & Commonwealth Shortcourse record for 200m Breaststroke. He swam slower at the Olympics, finishing in eleventh place.
At the 1998 World Aquatics Championships
in Perth
, Mitchell finished fifth in the 200m breaststroke and then won silver at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
in Kuala Lumpur
, behind fellow Australian Simon Cowley
, who won both breaststroke events. He gained selection to the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
after winning the 200m event and finishing third in the 100m event.
At the Olympics, he finished eighth in the 200m breaststroke. After Australia's only 100m breaststroker Phil Rogers
put in a poor performance in the individual event, Australian head coach Don Talbot
dropped Rogers and Mitchell swam in the heats of the 4x100m medley relay, even though he was not originally selected in the 100m breaststroke. Mitchell was replaced in the final by Regan Harrison
(who came fourth in the 200m breaststroke), who combined with Matt Welsh
, Geoff Huegill
and Michael Klim
to claim silver, behind the United States
who broke the world record.
In March 2002, Mitchell was appointed Chairman of the Australian Swimmers’ Commission, a professional association promoting the increasingly professional sport of swimming in that continent. Under his leadership, the Commission appointed its first General Manager on 28 July 2003 and the Australian Swimmers Association was officially incorporated on the 24th September 2003. At this time the ASA expanded its Board to a ten member Executive Committee of both current and former Australian swimmers. Mitchell continued to lead the organization until October 2009.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
swimmer of the 1990s, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
as part of the 4x100m medley relay team. Ryan began his swimming career in Port Augusta, where the Ryan Mitchell municipal swimming center is named after him today.
Growing up in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and being coached by Glenn Beringen
Glenn Beringen
Glenn Beringen was an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1980s from Adelaide, who won a silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics...
at the South Australian Sports Institute
South Australian Sports Institute
The South Australian Sports Institute is a specialised educational and training institution providing coaching for elite junior and senior athletes in a number of sports....
, Mitchell made his debut at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
1994 Commonwealth Games
The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held in Victoria, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 18 August to 28 August 1994.The XV Commonwealth Games marked South Africa's return to the Commonwealth Games following the apartheid era, and over 30 years since the country last competed in the...
in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was the 1995 silver medalist in the 200m breaststroke at the world short course championships in Rio De Janeiro. He won selection to the national team for the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, after dead-heating with Phil Rogers
Phil Rogers
Philip John Rogers is a former breaststroke swimmer who competed in three consequentive Summer Olympics for Australia, starting in 1992....
to win the 200m breaststroke at the Australian Championships. In December of same year, Mirchell broke the world record for Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay and the Australian & Commonwealth Shortcourse record for 200m Breaststroke. He swam slower at the Olympics, finishing in eleventh place.
At the 1998 World Aquatics Championships
1998 World Aquatics Championships
The 1998 World Aquatics Championships or the 8th FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia between 8 January and 17 January 1998....
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Mitchell finished fifth in the 200m breaststroke and then won silver at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, behind fellow Australian Simon Cowley
Simon Cowley
Simon Thomas John Cowley is a former English cricketer. Cowley was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm off break...
, who won both breaststroke events. He gained selection to the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
after winning the 200m event and finishing third in the 100m event.
At the Olympics, he finished eighth in the 200m breaststroke. After Australia's only 100m breaststroker Phil Rogers
Phil Rogers
Philip John Rogers is a former breaststroke swimmer who competed in three consequentive Summer Olympics for Australia, starting in 1992....
put in a poor performance in the individual event, Australian head coach Don Talbot
Don Talbot
Don Talbot OBE is an Olympic swimming coach from Australia. He has coached national teams for Canada and Australia.-Canada:Since the 1950s Talbot has coached Olympic champions and World Record holders for a thirty year period...
dropped Rogers and Mitchell swam in the heats of the 4x100m medley relay, even though he was not originally selected in the 100m breaststroke. Mitchell was replaced in the final by Regan Harrison
Regan Harrison
Regan Harrison was an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1990s and 2000s, who won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney as part of the 4×100 m medley relay team....
(who came fourth in the 200m breaststroke), who combined with Matt Welsh
Matt Welsh
Matthew "Matt" Welsh is an Australian swimmer who is the former world champion in the backstroke and butterfly. Welsh trained under coach Ian Pope at the Melbourne Vicentre Club. He took two golds in 50 metres butterfly and 50 metres backstroke, during one hour, at the World Championships in...
, Geoff Huegill
Geoff Huegill
Geoffrey Andrew Huegill , nicknamed Skippy and Skip, is an Australian butterfly swimmer...
and Michael Klim
Michael Klim
Michael Klim OAM is a Polish-born Australian swimmer. He was born in Gdynia. He was educated at the University High School, Melbourne and Wesley College, Melbourne where he is currently employed as the College's elite Head Coach of swimming...
to claim silver, behind the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who broke the world record.
In March 2002, Mitchell was appointed Chairman of the Australian Swimmers’ Commission, a professional association promoting the increasingly professional sport of swimming in that continent. Under his leadership, the Commission appointed its first General Manager on 28 July 2003 and the Australian Swimmers Association was officially incorporated on the 24th September 2003. At this time the ASA expanded its Board to a ten member Executive Committee of both current and former Australian swimmers. Mitchell continued to lead the organization until October 2009.