Rhyan Elizabeth White (born January 25, 2000) is an American swimmer.[2] She won a silver medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics for her contribution in the prelims of the event and placed fourth in both the 100-meter backstroke and the 200-meter backstroke.[3] At the 2020 Olympics, White also became the first Utah-born swimmer to compete in an Olympic Games.[4][5] At the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, she was the only swimmer representing the United States to win a medal.[6] She won her first world title in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2021 World Short Course Championships.[7]

Rhyan White
Personal information
Full nameRhyan Elizabeth White
Nationality United States
Born (2000-01-25) January 25, 2000 (age 24)
Herriman, Utah, United States[1]
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBackstroke, butterfly, individual medley
College teamUniversity of Alabama
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo 4×100 m medley
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2022 Budapest 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Budapest 200 m backstroke
World Championships (SC)
Gold medal – first place 2021 Abu Dhabi 200 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2021 Abu Dhabi 4×50 m medley
Youth Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Buenos Aires 100 m backstroke

Early life and education edit

White was born and raised in Herriman, Utah.[1] While attending Cottonwood High School in Murray, Utah, she swam for her high school swim team, winning UHSAA state swimming championships titles in the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke, and 200-yard individual medley.[8] She graduated from Academy for Math, Engineering, and Science, which is physically contained within Cottonwood High School.[2][5]

White committed to competing collegiately for the University of Alabama in 2017 and started swimming for the school in the autumn of 2018.[8] She currently attends and swims for the University of Alabama, where she is majoring in psychology.[2]

Swimming career edit

2016 US Olympic Trials edit

At the 2016 US Olympic Trials in swimming, White competed in two events. She finished in 18th place overall in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:12.36, and 61st overall with a time of 1:02.82 in the 100-meter backstroke.[9]

2018 Summer Youth Olympics edit

White was the only American swimmer to win a medal of any type, gold, silver, or bronze, at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, winning the bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.60.[6] With the one bronze medal White won, the United States tied with Egypt, Spain, and South Korea for 30th-place in the medal table for swimming at the 2018 Youth Olympics.[10]

2020 US Olympic Trials edit

In June 2021 at the US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, White became the first woman from the University of Alabama to win any event at a US Olympic trials in swimming when she won the 200-meter backstroke.[11] White qualified for the 2020 US Olympic swim team with her first place finish in the 200-meter backstroke, with a time of 2:05.73, and her second place finish in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 58.60.[12][13][14]

2020 Summer Olympics edit

2020 Summer Olympics
  4x100 m medley relay 3:51.73

The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan were the first Olympic Games White made the US Olympic team.[15] She became the third female athlete from the University of Alabama to make the US Olympic team in any sport, and the first female swimmer from the school.[16]

White was the first swimmer from Utah to compete in an Olympic Games.[4][5] Her first race at an Olympic Games was in the prelims of the 100-meter backstroke where she swam a 59.02, ranked sixth overall, and advanced to the semifinals.[17] She advanced to the final from the semifinals where she swam a 58.46 and ranked fourth.[18] In the final, White swam a 58.43 and finished in fourth place less than half a second after the third place finisher and bronze medalist, American Regan Smith.[19][20]

On day six of competition, White tied for second overall in the prelims heats of the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:08.23 and advanced to the semifinals.[21][22] In the semifinals on day seven, White swam the third fastest time for both semifinal heats with a time of 2:07.28 and qualified for the final of the 200 meter backstroke the following day.[23][24][25] Later in the day, White swam the backstroke leg of the 4x100-meter medley relay, contributing to the relay ranking second for all prelims heats and qualifying for the final.[26]

In the morning on day eight, White placed fourth in the final of the 200-meter backstroke with her time of 2:06.39.[3][27][28]

On the ninth and final day, the finals relay of the 4x100-meter medley relay finished second and White won a silver medal for her swim as part of the prelims relay in the event.[3][29]

2021 World Short Course Championships edit

2021 World Championships
  200 m backstroke 2:01.58
  4×50 m medley 1:43.61

White entered to compete in three individual events, the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter backstroke, at the 2021 World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in December.[30] In the prelims heats of the 100-meter backstroke on day one, White advanced to the semifinals with a time of 56.76 seconds, which ranked her fifth overall.[31][32] She tied Kira Toussaint of the Netherlands for second-rank in the semifinals with a time of 56.05 seconds and qualified for the final.[33] On the second day of competition, White helped win a silver medal in the 4×50-meter medley relay with finals relay teammates Lydia Jacoby, Claire Curzan, and Abbey Weitzeil, contributing a 26.33 backstroke split to the final time of 1:43.61.[34][35] Later in the same session, White placed fifth in the final of the 100-meter backstroke with a 55.87.[36] The following morning, White swam a 2:04.08 in the prelims heats of the 200-meter backstroke and qualified for the final ranking second overall.[37] In the evening, White won the gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke with a 2:01.58.[38][39] White's win was her first world title and the first individual gold medal won by a swimmer from the University of Alabama swim program at a World Championships.[7] Day four, White decided not to swim the 50-meter backstroke.[40] She officially withdrew from competition alongside teammates MIchael Andrew and Michael Brinegar the same day.[41]

2022 Collegiate championships edit

2022 Southeastern Conference Championships edit

Day one of the 2022 Southeastern Conference Championships in February 2022, White helped win the 4×50 yard medley relay for the Alabama Crimson Tide in a time of 1:33.94 by splitting a 23.65 on the backstroke leg of the relay.[42][43] The relay's time of 1:33.94 set a new Southeastern Conference record.[42][44] The third day, she qualified for the final of the 100 yard butterfly with a rank of fourth and time of 51.76 in the prelims heats.[45] She placed second in the final with a 51.19, finishing 0.85 seconds after first-place finisher Ellen Walshe.[46] The next day, White advanced to the final of the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 51.08 seconds in the prelims heats.[47] In the final, she set a new pool record with her first-place time of 50.18 seconds.[48][49] Later in the session, she split a 50.44 on the backstroke leg of the 4×100 yard medley relay to help win in a time of 3:26.64.[48] On the fifth and final day, she ranked first in the prelims heats of the 200 yard backstroke with a 1:51.57.[50] She lowered her time to a 1:50.22 in the final to win the event by over half a second.[51]

2022 NCAA Championships edit

Starting off on the first day of the 2022 NCAA Championships, March 16, White swam a 23.35 for the backstroke portion of the 4×50 yard medley relay to help achieve a fourth-place finish in 1:33.29.[52] On the third day of competition, she qualified for the final of the 100 yard backstroke ranking fourth with a time of 50.65 seconds after qualifying for the b-final of the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 51.27 seconds that ranked her tenth overall.[53] Racing the events in the evening finals session, she placed second with a 50.85 in the b-final of the 100 yard butterfly and fourth in the 100 yard backstroke in 50.34 seconds.[54] In her third final of the day, White contributed to a sixth-place finish in the 4×100 yard medley relay, swimming the backstroke portion of the relay in 50.89 seconds.[55] The final day of competition, she qualified for the final of the 200 yard backstroke with a time of 1:50.36 in the prelims heats.[56] For the final, she swam a 1:49.36 and placed third.[57]

Physique edit

White's coach from when she competed at Cottonwood High School partially attributed White's speed to her ability to naturally hyperextend her knees in such a way that provided heightened mobility.[5]

Awards and honors edit

  • Southeastern Conference (SEC), Female Swimmer of the Year: 2020—2021[58]
  • Southeastern Conference (SEC), Commissioner's Trophy: 2020—2021[58]
  • SwimSwam, Top 100 (Women's): 2022 (#36)[59]
  • Southeastern Conference (SEC), Female Swimmer of the Week: January 18, 2022[60]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Rhyan White - Bio". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "RHYAN WHITE". Alabama Crimson Tide. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Rhyan White Caps Alabama's Week in the Pool at the Tokyo Games with a Silver Medal". Alabama Crimson Tide. August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Miller, Ryan (July 18, 2021). "How Ryan White's Olympic run could help elevate swimming in Utah". KSL.com. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Jag, Julie (July 29, 2021). "Rhyan White is Utah's first Olympic swimmer. Will she be the last?". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Omega Timing; Atos (October 12, 2018). "Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games: Official Results Book Swimming". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Alabama's Rhyan White is the 2021 World Champion in the 200m Backstroke". Alabama Crimson Tide. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Lepesant, Anne (October 7, 2017). "National Junior Teamer Ryan White Commits to Alabama". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "2016 Olympic Trials Results". USA Swimming. July 3, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018: Medal Table - Swimming". FINA. October 18, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Walsh, Christopher (June 19, 2021). "Ryan White the First Crimson Tide Woman to Win Event at U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Women's 100m Backstroke Final Results". Omega Timing. June 15, 2021.
  13. ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Women's 200m Backstroke Final Results". Omega Timing. June 19, 2021.
  14. ^ Ross, Andy (June 19, 2021). "Rhyan White, Phoebe Bacon Follow in Footsteps of Idols to Make Olympic Team in 200 Backstroke". Swimming World. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Giordano, Katie (June 23, 2021). "Meet the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team for Tokyo". NBC Olympics. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  16. ^ "University of Alabama swimmer secured spot on U.S. Olympic team". WVTM 13. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  17. ^ Sutherland, James (July 25, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  18. ^ Sutherland, James (July 25, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 2 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  19. ^ "Alabama Swimming’s Rhyan White Takes Fourth in the 100-meter Backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics". Alabama Crimson Tide. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  20. ^ "Utah Olympians: Rhyan White just misses podium with 4th place finish in 100m back". KSL.com. July 26, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  21. ^ Anderson, Jared (July 29, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 6 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
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  23. ^ Coles, Joe (July 29, 2021). "Olympic roundup: Utah native Rhyan White finishes third overall to advance to women's 200-meter backstroke finals". Deseret News. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  24. ^ Newberry, Paul (July 29, 2021). "Rhyan White Finished Third In Women's 200m Backstroke Semifinal". KSL Sports. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  25. ^ Juarez, Ruben (July 30, 2021). "West Michigan roots for Olympians Alex Rose and Rhyan White". WOOD-TV. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  26. ^ Anderson, Jared (July 30, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 7 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  27. ^ Sutherland, James (July 30, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 7 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  28. ^ "Utah Olympians: Rhyan White comes up just short of a medal again with 4th-place finish in 200 back". KSL.com. July 30, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  29. ^ Jag, Julie (July 31, 2021). "Rhyan White wins Olympic medal with USA Swimming's women's 4x100 medley relay". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "2021 FINA Short Course World Championships Roster". USA Swimming. 28 October 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  31. ^ FINA (December 16, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 100m Backstroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  32. ^ Penland, Spencer (December 15, 2021). "2021 SC World Championships: Day 1 Heats Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  33. ^ FINA (December 16, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 100m Backstroke Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  34. ^ FINA (December 17, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 4x50m Medley Relay Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  35. ^ Moss, Bonnie (December 17, 2021). "Casas' Gold Leads Way for U.S. on FINA World Championships (25m) Night Two". USA Swimming. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
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  37. ^ FINA (December 18, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 200m Backstroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  38. ^ FINA (December 18, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 200m Backstroke Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  39. ^ OlympicTalk (December 18, 2021). "U.S. swimmers grab more golds at short course worlds; Olympics out due to COVID". NBC Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  40. ^ FINA (19 December 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Backstroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  41. ^ Keith, Braden (December 19, 2021). "Michael Andrew, Michael Brinegar, Rhyan White Withdraw From SC Worlds". SwimSwam. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  42. ^ a b De George, Matthew (February 15, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships: Alabama Women, Florida Men Set Relay Marks". Swimming World. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  43. ^ Dornan, Ben (February 15, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  44. ^ Edmund, Emma (February 15, 2022). "Alabama Women Break SEC 200 Medley Relay Record With 1:33.94". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  45. ^ Hamann, Michael (February 17, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  46. ^ De George, Matthew (February 17, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships, Day 3 Finals: Ellen Walshe Does 400 IM/100 Fly Double". Swimming World. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  47. ^ Hamann, Michael (February 18, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships: Day 4 Prelim Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  48. ^ a b Dornan, Ben (February 18, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  49. ^ De George, Matthew (February 18, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships, Day 4 Finals: Riley Gaines Nips Into 200 Fly win". Swimming World. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  50. ^ Sutherland, James (February 19, 2022). "2022 SEC Championships: Day 5 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  51. ^ Hy-Tek (February 19, 2022). "2022 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships: Meet Results". sidearmstats.com. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  52. ^ D'Addona, Dan (March 16, 2022). "2022 NCAA Women's Division I Championships: Virginia Claims 200 Medley Relay in Meet Record". Swimming World. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  53. ^ Lepesant, Anne (March 18, 2022). "2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  54. ^ Lepesant, Anne (March 18, 2022). "2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  55. ^ Hy-Tek (March 18, 2022). "2022 NCAA DI Women's Swimming & Diving". swimmeetresults.tech. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  56. ^ Lepesant, Anne (March 19, 2022). "2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  57. ^ Lepesant, Anne (March 19, 2022). "2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  58. ^ a b "2021 SEC Swimming & Diving Awards Announced". Southeastern Conference. April 15, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  59. ^ Sutherland, James (January 13, 2022). "SwimSwam's Top 100 For 2022: Women's #40-31". SwimSwam. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  60. ^ "Week 9: Swimming & Diving Athletes of the Week". Southeastern Conference. January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

External links edit