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Ryan Held
Ryan Held
Ryan Held
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Ryan Held (born June 27, 1995) is an American retired freestyle swimmer who specializes in the sprint events, and is currently sponsored by Arena. He holds three world records in short course relay events. At the 2016 Summer Olympics he won a gold medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relays, swimming in both the prelims and the final of the event. He won a second gold medal in the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 4×100 meter freestyle relays, though he did not swim in the finals of the event.

Key Information

In 2021, he won silver medals in the 50 meter freestyle and the 100 meter freestyle at the 2021 World Short Course Championships. At his first FINA World Aquatics Championships, the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, he won a gold medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay.

Background

[edit]

He attended Christ the King grade school in Springfield, Illinois, and attended high school at Sacred-Heart Griffin,[5] where he graduated in 2014 and was coached by Dr. James Stegeman.[6] During his senior year in 2014, Held was named Illinois State Swimmer of the Year.[6] During his collegiate years, held attended North Carolina State University where he swam for Coaches Braden Holloway and Todd DeSorbo.[2]

Career

[edit]

2016 Summer Olympics

[edit]
See also: Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 4×100 m freestyle 3:09.92

At the 2016 US trials he qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics as a member of the 4×100 meter freestyle relay team.[1] In the Olympic heats, he swam a split time of 47.79 on the second leg, impressing the coaching staff enough to give him the nod to swim in the final. Although Held's time was not as fast as Anthony Ervin’s, head coach Bob Bowman made the decision due to youth since "Younger legs, coming back so quickly".[7] In the final he split 47.73 on the third leg to preserve Team USA's lead, winning the gold medal together with Caeleb Dressel, Michael Phelps, and Nathan Adrian. Held and the other finals relay members won the USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggle Award for "Relay Performance of the Year" for their performance.[8]

2024 Summer Olympics

[edit]
See also: Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Held won the Gold medal with the American team in the Men's 4x100-metre freestyle relay, though he did not swim in the event finals. The American Gold medal relay team swam a combined time of 3:09.28 in the finals without Held. The Australian team placed second for the Silver and the Italian team finished third for the bronze.[9]

2018 World Championships

[edit]
2018 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 4×100 m freestyle 3:03.03 (WR)
Gold medal – first place 4×50 m mixed freestyle 1:27.89 (WR)
Gold medal – first place 4×50 m freestyle 1:21.80 (WR)
Gold medal – first place 4×100 m medley relay 3:19.98 (AM)
Silver medal – second place 4×50 m medley relay 1:30.90 (NR)

At the 2018 World Short Course Championships in Hangzhou, China, Held won four gold medals and one silver medal. In the 4×100 meter freestyle relay, Held anchored the finals relay consisting of him, Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, and Michael Chadwick to a gold medal win in a world record time of 3:03.03.[10] For the 4×50 meter mixed freestyle relay, Held split a 20.60 for the second leg of the relay and helped the finals relay set a new world record and win the gold medal in the event with a finals relay time of 1:27.89.[11] In the final of the 4×50 meter freestyle relay, Held swam the fastest split of his relay teammates, Caeleb Dressel, Jack Conger, and Michael Chadwick, with a time of 20.25 seconds, which helped the relay win the gold medal and set a new world record in the event at 1:21.80.[12] Gold eluded Held in the 4×50 meter medley relay where he swam the freestyle leg of the relay, earned a silver medal, and helped set an American record of 1:30.90 in the final with Ryan Murphy (backstroke), Michael Andrew (breaststroke), and Caeleb Dressel (butterfly).[13] Concluding his competition at the Championships, Held swam the freestyle leg of the 4×100 meter medley relay, splitting a time of 45.23 seconds to help the finals relay win the gold medal and set a new Americas record and Championships record of 3:19.98 in the event.[14]

2019

[edit]

At the 2019 Phillips 66 Summer National Championships in Stanford, California, Held ranked first in the 100 meter freestyle prelims heats with a time of 47.43 seconds on July 31, which broke the U.S. Open record and Championships record of 47.58 seconds set by Jason Lezak over 11 years earlier on July 2, 2008.[15] Later the same day in the final, Held won the 100 meter freestyle with a time of 47.39 seconds, breaking his own U.S. Open and Championships records he set earlier in the day.[16]

2021 World Championships

[edit]
2021 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 4×200 m freestyle 6:47.00 (NR)
Gold medal – first place 4×50 m medley 1:30.51 (CR, AM)
Silver medal – second place 50 m freestyle 20.70
Silver medal – second place 100 m freestyle 45.63
Silver medal – second place 4×100 m medley 3:20.50
Bronze medal – third place 4×100 m freestyle 3:05.42

Held entered to compete in the short course 50 meter freestyle and 100 meter freestyle for his individual events at the 2021 World Short Course Championships in December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[17] As part of the United States team for the Championships, Held was number two on "The Week That Was" honor for the week of November 1, 2021, from Swimming World.[18] Gaining racing experience in short course meters as preparation for the World Championships, Held competed at the 2021 Ron Johnson Masters Championship in Tempe, Arizona in November, where he swam a 21.28 and broke the Masters world record in the 50 meter freestyle for the 25–29 age group set at 21.37 by César Cielo in 2014.[19]

On day one of competition, Held split a 46.17 for the anchor leg of the 4×100 meter freestyle relay, qualifying it to the final ranked second with prelims relay teammates Shaine Casas, Hunter Tapp, and Tom Shields.[20] In the final, Zach Apple, substituted in for Tom Shields and the relay finished in a time of 3:05.42 to win the bronze medal.[21][22] The second day, Held achieved a fourth-place finish in the 4×50 meter mixed freestyle relay with his finals relay teammates in 1:29.04, splitting a 20.86 for the lead-off leg of the relay.[23] In the morning of day three, Held finished second in prelims heat ten of the 50 meter freestyle behind Ben Proud of Great Britain with a time of 21.01, which qualified Held for the semifinals ranking third overall.[24] Held ranked first in the semifinals later in the day with a 20.81, less than one-tenth of a second ahead of second-ranked Joshua Liendo of Canada.[25][26] On day four, Held led-off the 4×50 meter freestyle relay with a personal best time of 20.72 seconds and helped the relay achieve a time of 1:23.81, which placed them fourth.[27] Later in the same session Held won the silver medal in the 50 meter freestyle with a personal best time of 20.70 seconds, which was the first individual medal of his career at a World Championships.[28][29] In his final event of the evening, Held helped set an American record of 6:47.00 and win the gold medal in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay with finals relay teammates Kieran Smith, Trenton Julian, and Carson Foster.[30][31]

In the morning of day five, Held ranked fifth in the prelims heats of the 100 meter freestyle with a 46.72, qualifying for the semifinals along with fellow American Zach Apple.[32] Held anchored the 4×50 meter medley relay in the evening final, splitting a 20.52 to contribute to the gold-medal-winning time of 1:30.51, which tied the Russia relay team, set a new American record, and tied the Championships record and Americas record.[33][34] For the semifinals of the 100 meter freestyle Held swam a 46.36, ranked fourth, and qualified for the final.[35] In the final the following day, which was the final day of competition, Held won the silver medal with a personal best time of 45.63 seconds.[36][37] On the freestyle leg of the 4×100 meter medley relay in the final, Held split a 45.43 to help achieve a time of 3:20.50 and a silver-medal-win.[38][39]

2022

[edit]

On April 2, at the 2022 Pro Swim Series at Northside Swim Center in San Antonio, Texas, Held tied Drew Kibler for third in rank in the prelims heats of the 100 meter freestyle with a time of 49.46 seconds and qualified for the final later in the day.[40] He swam a 49.20 in the final to place third, finishing seven-hundredths of a second behind first-place finisher Andrej Barna.[41]

2022 International Team Trials

[edit]

Day one of the 2022 US International Team Trials in late April in Greensboro, North Carolina, Held qualified for the final of the 100 meter freestyle ranking second from the prelims heats with a time of 48.20 seconds.[42] He placed third in the final with a time of 48.18 seconds, qualifying for the 2022 World Aquatics Championships team in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay.[43] Day two, he qualified for the b-final of the 200 meter freestyle with a time of 1:48.93 and overall rank of 15th in the prelims heats.[44] In the b-final, he lowered his time to a 1:47.99 to place third, 11th overall.[45] In the 50 meter freestyle prelims heats on the morning of the fifth and final day, he ranked fourth with a 21.92 and qualified for the final.[46] He swam a personal best time of 21.85 seconds in the final to take fourth-place.[47]

2022 World Aquatics Championships

[edit]
2022 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 4×100 m freestyle 3:09.34
Silver medal – second place 4×100 m medley 3:27.79
Bronze medal – third place 4×100 m mixed freestyle 3:21.09

On the first day of swimming at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, Held split a 47.13 for the second leg of the 4×100 meter freestyle relay in the prelims heats, the fastest out of him and his prelims relay teammates, helping qualify the relay to the final ranking first and securing his spot on the finals relay with his split time.[48] In the final later the same day, he split the fastest out of him and his finals relay teammates with a 46.99 on the second leg of the relay, helping achieve a gold medal victory in a final time of 3:09.34.[49] On day seven, he split a 47.85 in the preliminaries of the 4×100 meter mixed freestyle relay, helping qualify the relay to the final ranking first.[50] In the final, he split a 47.93 for the lead-off leg, helping win the bronze medal in a time of 3:21.09.[51][52] For the 4×100 metre medley relay, Held split a 47.36 for the freestyle leg of the relay in the final to help win the silver medal in 3:27.79.[53]

Following the Championships, Held was announced to the USA Swimming roster for the 2022 Duel in the Pool, which was held starting August 19 in Sydney, Australia.[54]

Personal bests

[edit]
As of April 30, 2022
Long Course
Event Time Meet Date Note(s)
50 m freestyle 21.50 2023 USA Swimming Championships July 1, 2023
100 m freestyle 47.39 2019 U.S. Summer Nationals July 31, 2019
200 m freestyle 1:47.57 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials June 14, 2021 (Preliminaries)
50 m backstroke 24.59 2018 Phillips 66 Summer National Championships July 27, 2018 (Preliminaries)
50 m butterfly 23.41 2023 USA Swimming Championships June 29, 2023
100 m butterfly 52.15 2019 U.S. Summer Nationals August 2, 2019
Short course
Event Time Meet Date Note(s)
50 m freestyle 20.70 2021 World Championships December 19, 2021
100 m freestyle 45.63 2021 World Championships December 21, 2021
50 m backstroke 23.17 2021 International Swimming League September 18, 2021
50 m butterfly 22.80 2021 International Swimming League September 19, 2021
100 m individual medley 53.36 2021 International Swimming League September 19, 2021
Short course yards
Event Time Meet Date Note(s)
50 y freestyle 18.56 (r) 2018 NCAA Championships March 22, 2018
100 y freestyle 41.05 (r) 2018 NCAA Championships March 24, 2018
200 y freestyle 1:31.37 (r) 2017 NCAA Championships March 22, 2017
100 y butterfly 44.79 2018 ACC Championships March 1, 2017

r = relay lead-off

Continental and national records

[edit]

Long course meters (50 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Date Location Type Status Ref
1 100 m freestyle 47.43 h 2019 Phillips 66 Summer National Championships July 31, 2019 Stanford, California US Former [15]
2 100 m freestyle (2) 47.39 2019 Phillips 66 Summer National Championships July 31, 2019 Stanford, California US Current [16]
Legend: US – U.S. Open record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Short course meters (25 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Date Location Type Status Notes Ref
1 4×100 m freestyle 3:03.03 2018 World Short Course Championships December 11, 2018 Hangzhou, China AM, NR Current WR [10]
2 4×50 m mixed freestyle 1:27.89 2018 World Short Course Championships December 12, 2018 Hangzhou, China AM, NR Current WR [11]
3 4×50 m freestyle 1:21.80 2018 World Short Course Championships December 14, 2018 Hangzhou, China AM, NR Current WR [12]
4 4×50 m medley 1:30.90 2018 World Short Course Championships December 15, 2018 Hangzhou, China NR Former [13]
5 4×100 m medley 3:19.98 2018 World Short Course Championships December 16, 2018 Hangzhou, China AM, NR Former [14]
6 4×200 m freestyle 6:47.00 2021 World Short Course Championships December 19, 2021 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates NR Current [31]
7 4×50 m medley (2) 1:30.51 2021 World Short Course Championships December 20, 2021 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates AM, NR Current [33][34]
Legend: WR – World record; AM – Americas record; NR – American record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Masters world records

[edit]

Short course meters (25 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Location Date Age Age Group Ref
1 50 m freestyle 21.28 2021 Ron Johnson Masters Championship Tempe, Arizona November 20, 2021 26 years, 146 days 25–29 [19]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Personal life

[edit]

In October 2021, Held publicly announced his engagement to Lexie Lupton, who he trained with during part of his time competing collegiately for the NC State Wolfpack.[58][59] Held then married Lupton in December 2022.[citation needed]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ryan Held

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ryan Held (born June 27, 1995) is a retired American competitive swimmer specializing in sprint freestyle events. Hailing from , Held rose to prominence as a relay anchor for the , securing two Olympic gold medals in the 4 × 100 m freestyle at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the 2024 Games. Over his decade-long professional career, he amassed 17 international medals, including 9 golds, 5 silvers, and 3 bronzes across Olympic and , establishing himself as one of the most decorated swimmers of his generation. Held announced his retirement from competitive swimming on August 5, 2025, at the age of 30, transitioning to a career as an operational risk analyst at in . Held's early success came during his high school years at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, where he was named the Illinois State Swimmer of the Year in 2014 after winning multiple state championships. He continued his ascent at from 2014 to 2018, earning 25 All-American honors, 23 titles, and four NCAA relay championships, including the 400-yard freestyle relay in 2016 and the 800-yard freestyle relay in 2017. Qualifying for his first Olympics at the 2016 U.S. Trials, Held contributed to the American team's world-record-setting performance in Rio, splitting 46.81 seconds on the anchor leg. At the international level, Held excelled in both long-course and short-course competitions, winning six gold medals at the Short Course World Championships in 2018 and 2021, including the 4 × 50 m freestyle relay and mixed 4 × 50 m freestyle relay in . His long-course highlights include a gold in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 2022 World Championships in , along with silvers in the mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay and 4 × 100 m medley relay that year, and a bronze in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay in 2023. Individually, he claimed a silver in the 50 m freestyle at the 2021 Short Course Worlds and set personal bests of 21.50 in the 50 m freestyle and 47.39 in the 100 m freestyle. Sponsored by throughout his career, Held's legacy includes inspiring future generations through his dedication to team success and post- pursuits in and geospatial technology, holding a bachelor's and master's from NC State.

Early life and education

Upbringing and family

Ryan Held was born on June 27, 1995, in Springfield, Illinois, to parents Randy and Cheryl Held. Both parents have been longtime employees at HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield, where Cheryl works as a registered nurse and Randy as a nurse anesthetist, providing a stable family environment rooted in the local healthcare community. Held grew up in Springfield alongside his older brother, Kendall, who later became a physician. The family emphasized community involvement and personal development, with Held attending Christ the King Grade School in his early years. His early exposure to structured activities came through the Boy Scouts of America, where he achieved the rank of , fostering discipline, teamwork, and outdoor skills in the supportive Springfield community.

Swimming beginnings and college career

Held began swimming competitively at age 8 with the Springfield Family YMCA in Springfield, Illinois, where he was coached by Rob Busby. At Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Held excelled in sprint freestyle events, securing multiple Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state titles from 2012 to 2014 and was named the Illinois State Swimmer of the Year in 2014. In his senior year, he set IHSA state records in the 50-yard freestyle (19.76 seconds) and 100-yard freestyle (43.73 seconds) while winning both events at the state championships. Held competed for from 2014 to 2018, earning 25 All-American honors and 23 titles while contributing to the Wolfpack's success in the (ACC). He claimed individual titles in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard at the 2018 ACC Championships, along with multiple relay victories, and was recognized as the 2017 ACC Men's Swimmer of the Year. At the NCAA Championships, Held garnered All-American honors in sprint freestyle and events, highlighted by his roles in NC State's four NCAA national titles: the 400-yard freestyle in 2016 and 2018, and the 800-yard freestyle in 2017 and 2018. After his senior season, he turned professional, signing with .

International swimming career

2016 Summer Olympics

At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, 21-year-old Ryan Held earned selection to the American Olympic team by placing third in the men's 100-meter freestyle final with a time of 48.23 seconds. This performance qualified him for the 4×100-meter freestyle relay at the Rio de Janeiro Games, marking his first opportunity to compete on the international stage. Held's Olympic debut came on August 7, 2016, during the preliminary heats of the men's 4×100-meter freestyle at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. Swimming the second leg for the , he delivered a split of 47.79 seconds as part of the team's qualifying time of 3:12.38, securing advancement to the final. Later that evening, Held swam the third leg in the final with a 47.73-second split, contributing to Team USA's victory in 3:09.92—reclaiming the event title from the previous Games and finishing 0.61 seconds ahead of silver medalist . His teammates in the final were (48.10 seconds on the first leg), (47.12 seconds on the second), and (46.97 seconds on the anchor leg). As a rising junior at under head coach Braden Holloway, Held described the experience as transformative, noting it provided invaluable exposure to high-stakes international competition and boosted his confidence for future meets. The gold medal represented his first Olympic achievement and highlighted his potential as a sprint freestyle specialist.

2017–2019 competitions

Following his medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay at the , Ryan Held continued to build momentum in international competition as a key relay swimmer for the . At the 2017 World University Games in , , Held claimed in the men's 100 meter freestyle, touching the wall in 48.36 seconds to win by 0.02 seconds over Poland's Kacper Majchrzak. He also anchored the U.S. 4×100 meter freestyle relay to with a 47.84-second split, contributing to the team's victory in 3:33.27. Held's relay prowess shone at the 2018 World Short Course Championships in , , where he helped the secure four gold medals in freestyle events, including the 4×50 meter freestyle in a world record time of 1:21.80 and the 4×100 meter freestyle in a world record of 3:03.03. The team also earned silver in the 4×100 meter medley , with Held setting an American record of 45.82 seconds on the freestyle leadoff in the 4×100 meter freestyle during preliminaries. These performances marked three short course world records involving Held and underscored his role in elevating U.S. sprint dominance. In 2019, Held set the U.S. Open record in the 100 meter freestyle at the National Championships with a time of 47.39 seconds, lowering his own mark from the preliminaries and ranking as the third-fastest swim globally that year. Throughout 2017–2019, Held maintained consistent selections to the U.S. national team, often anchoring or leading off sprint freestyle relays to maximize team success in international meets.

2020–2022 World Championships

The significantly disrupted the international swimming calendar in 2020 and early 2021, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of numerous meets and limiting opportunities for athletes like Ryan Held to compete at a high level. Despite these challenges, Held had qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics through his strong relay performances at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, where he finished sixth in the 100-meter freestyle. However, due to a roster limit of 12 relay-only swimmers and the presence of 13 eligible athletes, Held was not selected for the traveling team, allowing him to focus on recovery and preparation for subsequent events. Held returned to international competition at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (short course) in , , where he claimed two silver medals in individual events. In the 50-meter freestyle final, he finished second with a time of 20.70 seconds, behind Great Britain's Benjamin Proud. Earlier in the meet, Held earned silver in the 100-meter freestyle, touching the wall at 46.36 seconds for second place behind Italy's Alessandro Miressi. These medals marked his first individual podium finishes at a World Short Course Championships, contributing to the ' overall haul of 13 medals at the event. Building momentum into , Held competed at the U.S. International Team Trials in , where he secured qualification for the by placing third in the 100-meter freestyle final with a time of 48.18 seconds. At the in , , Held played a key role in the men's 4×100-meter freestyle , the second leg in 46.99 seconds as part of the American team that captured gold in a national record time of 3:09.34. In the individual 100-meter freestyle, he advanced to the semifinals, recording a time of 48.30 seconds but did not progress to the final.

2023–2024 Summer Olympics

Held began the 2023–2024 Olympic cycle at the in , where he led off the ' men's 4×100 m freestyle relay team in the final, splitting 48.16 seconds to help secure a in a time of 3:10.81, behind gold medalist (3:10.16) and silver medalist (3:10.49). During this period, Held continued his professional training with the , having transitioned there after completing his collegiate career at in 2018. At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, Indiana, Held finished fifth in the men's 100 m freestyle final with a time of 47.82 seconds, qualifying him for the Olympic relay roster as one of the top six performers in the event. Held returned to the Olympics at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, France, leading off the United States' preliminary heat in the men's 4×100 m freestyle relay with a 48.52-second split alongside teammates Matt King, Hunter Armstrong, and Caeleb Dressel, as the team posted a 3:12.61 to advance to the final in second place overall. In the final, Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Armstrong, and Dressel won gold for the United States in an Olympic record time of 3:09.28, ahead of Australia (3:10.35) and Italy (3:10.70), earning Held his second career Olympic gold medal despite not competing in the decisive race.

2025 World Aquatics Championships and retirement

In June 2025, Held competed at the U.S. National Championships in , focusing on sprint freestyle events to secure qualification for the relays. He placed in the top positions in the 50-meter freestyle, recording a final time of 21.70 seconds after a prelim of 22.68 seconds, which contributed to his selection for the U.S. relay team. Held represented the at the in , held from July 27 to August 3. He participated in the men's 4×100-meter freestyle , helping the earn a in the event, marking his final international competition. On August 5, 2025, at the age of 30, Held announced his retirement from competitive swimming via and official statements, citing his desire to transition fully to his professional career outside of athletics. In his announcement, he reflected on his achievements, including two Olympic gold medals in the 4×100-meter freestyle from 2016 and 2024, as well as multiple world records and medals from earlier World Championships. Following his retirement, Held expressed intentions to continue swimming recreationally through Masters competitions, maintaining his connection to the sport in a non-professional capacity.

Swimming records and achievements

Personal best times

Ryan Held's personal best times in individual freestyle events are primarily in the 50-meter and 100-meter distances, reflecting his specialization as a sprinter. These times are recorded in both long course (50-meter pool) and short course (25-meter pool) formats, achieved during major international and national competitions.

Long Course (50 m)

Held's long course personal bests in freestyle were set at U.S. national meets and demonstrate his progression as a relay contributor and occasional individual competitor.
EventTimeDateMeetLocation
50 m freestyle21.50July 1, 2023 International Team Trials, IN,
100 m freestyle47.39July 31, 2019 U.S. National ChampionshipsStanford, CA,
In relay contexts, Held has delivered strong lead-off splits, such as 48.52 seconds in the 100 m freestyle leg during the preliminary round of the men's 4×100 m freestyle at the .

Short Course (25 m)

Held's short course bests, often set at FINA World Swimming Championships, highlight his prowess in faster-paced pools where he has earned multiple medals.
EventTimeDateMeetLocation
50 m freestyle20.70December 19, 2021FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), UAE
100 m freestyle45.63December 21, 2021FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), UAE
For short course relays, Held's lead-off in the 4×100 m freestyle at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships clocked 45.75 seconds, supporting the U.S. team's gold medal performance.

National and world records

Ryan Held has established several notable records in both long course (50-meter) and short course (25-meter) swimming, primarily in relay events where his contributions as a sprinter were pivotal. In long course meters, he set the U.S. Open record in the individual 100-meter freestyle during the finals of the 2019 U.S. National Championships in , with a time of 47.39 seconds. This performance not only secured him the national title but also ranked as the third-fastest time globally that year, underscoring his elite sprinting prowess. In short course meters, Held was instrumental in setting three world records at the 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in , . As part of the U.S. team, he anchored the men's 4×50-meter freestyle to a world record time of 1:21.80, contributing a 20.53-second split on the final leg. Earlier in the meet, he led off the men's 4×100-meter freestyle , which established a of 3:03.03, with his opening split of 45.82 seconds helping to shatter the previous mark held by . Additionally, Held swam the freestyle leg in the mixed 4×50-meter freestyle , aiding the U.S. in setting a of 1:27.89. Held also contributed to American national records in short course relay events. At the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in , , he participated in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle , which set a national record of 6:47.00. Furthermore, during the 2018 short course worlds, his 45.23-second split in the men's 4×100-meter medley helped the U.S. team establish an American record of 3:19.98, closing out the competition with a performance.
EventCourseRecord TypeTimeDateLocationRole/Split
100 m freestyle (individual)LCM (50m)U.S. Open47.39July 31, 2019U.S. National Championships, Stanford, CAFull swim
Men's 4×50 m freestyle SCM (25m)1:21.80December 14, 2018FINA SC Worlds, , CHN (20.53)
Men's 4×100 m freestyle SCM (25m)3:03.03December 11, 2018FINA SC Worlds, , CHNLeadoff (45.82)
Mixed 4×50 m freestyle SCM (25m)1:27.89December 12, 2018FINA SC Worlds, , CHNFreestyle leg
Men's 4×200 m freestyle SCM (25m)U.S. National6:47.00December 19, 2021FINA SC Worlds, , UAEParticipant
Men's 4×100 m medley SCM (25m)U.S. National3:19.98December 16, 2018FINA SC Worlds, , CHN (45.23)

Masters records

Ryan Held set four U.S. national records for the 25–29 age group during the Invitational in , on November 20–21, 2021. These include the 50 m freestyle in 21.28 seconds, 50 m in 23.70 seconds, 50 m butterfly in 23.15 seconds, and 100 m individual medley in 52.78 seconds. Held also achieved top rankings in the 100 m freestyle with a time of 48.64 seconds in the same meet, contributing to his All-American honors in short course meters for that year. Following his retirement from professional competitive swimming in August 2025, Held transitioned to with the . As of late 2025, his 2021 records remain intact, underscoring his enduring impact in the Masters category.

Awards and honors

High school

  • Illinois State Swimmer of the Year (2014)
  • State Journal-Register Swimmer of the Year (2014)

College

  • ACC Swimmer of the Year (2017)
  • ACC Most Valuable Swimmer (2017)
  • 25-time All-American (NC State, 2014–2018)
  • 23-time ACC champion (2014–2018)
  • 4-time NCAA relay champion (2015–2018)

International

  • USA Swimming Golden Goggle Award – Relay Performance of the Year (2016, shared with 4 × 100 m freestyle relay teammates)
  • Adolph Kiefer Ambassador (, date unspecified)

Later life

Professional transition

Following his retirement announcement in August 2025, Ryan Held fully transitioned from competitive swimming to a professional career in finance, having joined in as an operational risk analyst in February 2025. In this role, he focuses on cyber risk within the firm's operational divisions, marking a shift from the discipline of elite athletics to the analytical demands of . Held prepared for this career move by pursuing a Master of Geospatial Information Science and Technology (MGIST) degree from , which he completed in 2022 through an online program. This academic background in geospatial sciences complemented his athletic experience, providing technical skills applicable to risk analysis. Additionally, he leveraged networking opportunities from his Olympic career, particularly after the 2024 Paris Games, to secure entry into , where the firm actively recruits former athletes for their resilience and teamwork. Held's adjustment to corporate life has been profiled in a September 2025 Business Insider feature, which highlighted the challenges of adapting from a physically demanding athletic routine to structured office work, including building new professional relationships and managing work-life balance. Despite these hurdles, he has successfully integrated his new role with ongoing involvement in Masters swimming, competing recreationally to maintain fitness and stay connected to the sport.

Personal interests and family

Held married Lexie Held (née Lupton), a former collegiate swimmer and two-time All-American at North Carolina State University, on December 3, 2022. The couple has no children as of 2025. A dedicated Chicago Bulls fan, Held often shares his enthusiasm for basketball on social media. He also maintains a strong interest in nature and outdoor activities, including hiking, stemming from his background as an Eagle Scout. Following his retirement, Held and his wife have embraced travel, as evidenced by their relocation and shared experiences in new cities like New York. Post-retirement, Held resides in New York City, where he works as a risk analyst at Goldman Sachs, while preserving close connections to his hometown of Springfield, Illinois, through community visits and reflections on his roots. For health and wellness, he continues to swim recreationally several times a week and participates in Masters swimming events to stay active.

References

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