Ryan Held headed back to the Olympics as part of US swimming team
Ryan Held is going back to the Olympics.
The former N.C State swimmer, who turns 29 on Thursday, earned his spot on the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. Finishing fifth in the 100 freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, he was added to the USA roster.
Held earned a big slice of instant celebrity at the 2016 Rio Olympics as part of a U.S. relay team that included Michael Phelps. After the team won a gold medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle, Held broke into tears with the medal around his neck, the national anthem being played and the U.S flag being raised.
A smiling Phelps wrapped an arm around Held and rubbed his head. America fell in love with a new Olympic star, who was treated like a national hero when he returned, with parades and accolades.
Held believed he had secured a spot on the U.S. Olympic swim team for the 2021 Tokyo Games, as well, but a reduction in the team roster size due to COVID-19 limitations left him at home.
Now, Held is going to Paris for the 2024 Olympics.
For someone who almost retired from the sport after the 2021 disappointment, it was a sweet moment.
“It was heartbreaking,” Held said of 2021 at the post-trials press conference. “I was kind of in a mix of emotions because swimming, which had brought me so much joy and passion for so long, now caused me so much pain and kind of anger and confusion. It stung for a long time.
“That was a terrible moment but looking back, it was a blessing in disguise.”
Held, a native of Springfield, Illinois, was a four-time NCAA champion at N.C. State from 2016-18 and the ACC’s most valuable swimmer in 2017 and 2018. He earned numerous All-American honors for the Wolfpack’s nationally ranked teams.
At the Rio Olympics, he swam the third leg after Phelps had given the U.S. the lead and joined Phelps, Caeleb Dessel and Nathan Adrian in donning gold medals.
After being left off the 2021 Olympic team, Held moved to Arizona State to continue his training and renew his passion for the sport. A lot was pointed toward this year and this Olympics.
Before the trials began in Indy, Held said it would be a “dream come true” to make the U.S. team.
Now, he has a shot at another medal. Who knows, there could be a few more tears.
This story was originally published June 24, 2024 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Ryan Held headed back to the Olympics as part of US swimming team."
