Former KMSC swimmer Ryan Healy competes on swimming’s biggest stage at Olympic Trials

Laura Healy
June 16, 2024 – OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. –    Former King Marlin Swim Club athlete Ryan Healy of Edmond, Okla., competed Sunday in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, where approximately 1,000 swimmers are vying for a chance to represent the United States in the pool at the Paris Olympics later this summer.

Healy, who began swimming for KMSC at age 5, competed Sunday in the 400-meter individual medley, a grueling race that includes all four competitive strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle). The U.S. Olympic Trials is the fastest swim meet in the U.S. and marks the pinnacle of the sport, with less than one-half percent of all USA Swimming athletes qualify.

For Healy, the process of working toward this achievement started as it does for many swimmers in the state of Oklahoma – at his first Division II meet in Ponca City, Okla, at age 5. Since then, Healy’s journey has been marked by many accomplishments and challenges as he’s represented KMSC at all levels within the sport.

“Ryan has always been goal driven as Olympic Trials swimmers often are,” says KMSC co-owner and head coach John Brown, who has had multiple swimmers compete at U.S. Olympic Trials throughout his coaching career.

To attend the U.S. Olympic Trials, swimmers must have swam equal to or faster than a qualifying time standard in one of the Olympic swimming events. For Healy, his opportunity to qualify was uncertain after he injured his shoulder early in 2023. The injury forced him to miss most of the summer season last year, which meant he didn’t have the opportunity to chase those qualifying times in his events.

But Healy persevered. After rehabilitating his shoulder, then training and competing at the collegiate level as a freshman for Michigan this past fall and winter, Healy shifted his focus to qualifying for Trials. In mid-May, he earned the qualifying time standard in the 400 IM at a meet in Indianapolis, just blocks away from Lucas Oil Stadium where Trials will take place.

“I knew that Ryan could get back to the level he was swimming prior to the qualifying period date and prior to his injury,” says Brown. “Now that he is back to where he was [before 2023], it will be exciting to watch Ryan race at even more elite levels at this Olympic Trials and beyond!”

A three-time All-American swimmer for Edmond North who graduated in May 2023, Healy is currently studying and competing in swimming at the University of Michigan. He joins three additional swimmers at the U.S. Olympic Trials who grew up swimming in Oklahoma: Aiden Hayes of Norman, Jack Callan of Owasso, and Micah Chambers of Enid.

“The path to get to Trials couldn’t have happened without my time at KMSC,” says Healy. “Though I am excited to show all I have gained during my first year at Michigan, I know I wouldn’t have made it this far without all of my KMSC coaches’ and teammates’ support over the years in practices and meets. I’m thrilled to represent KMSC, the Oklahoma swimming community, and Michigan on swimming’s biggest stage.”