| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ryan Napoleon | |||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Australia | |||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 May 1990 Sydney |
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| Height | 187cm | |||||||||||||||
| Weight | 84kg | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||
| Stroke(s) | Freestyle | |||||||||||||||
| Club | St Peters Western | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ryan Napoleon (born 26 May 1990 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian freestyle swimmer and Commonwealth Games Medalist.
Contents |
Napoleon won gold in the 4x200m freestyle, silver in the 4x100m medley relay and bronze in the 100m butterfly whilst representing Australia at the Youth Olympic Festival.
At the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games Napoleon won gold in the 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, 4x100m medley relays as well as silver in the 100m freestyle.
During the 2008 Oceania Swimming Championships held in Christchurch New Zealand Ryan won gold in the 4x200m relay and bronze in the 200m butterfly.
Napoleon won the national 1500m title and so became the sixth fastest Australian of all time at the 2009 Australian Swimming Championships
During the championships Napoleon broke meet records in the 400m and 800m freestyle events and claimed further gold medals in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays. Napoleon also won bronze in the 200m freestyle at this event.
At the 2009 World Championships Napoleon placed 11th in the 1500m freestyle, 12 in the 800m freestyle and 21st in the 400m freestyle.
| 2009 World Championships events | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Event | Time | Place | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:47.98 | 21st | |
| 800m freestyle | 7:53.92 | 12th | |
| 1500m freestyle | 15:09.55 | 11th | |
At the 2010 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships Napoleon won silver medals in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events.
Napoleon placed 9th in the 1500m and was ranked 6th in the 400m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games Napoleon won silver in the 400m freestyle in a time of 3.48.59, and gold as part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team.
| 2010 Commonwealth Games events | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Final medal count: 2 (1 gold, 1 silver, 0 bronze) | |||
| Event | Time | Place | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:48.59 | Silver | |
| 1500m freestyle | 15:28.70 | 6th | |
| 4×200m freestyle relay | 7:10.29 | Gold | |
At the 2011 Australian Swimming Championships, he won the 400 freestyle in a time of 3:45.16, making him the 4th fastest Australian swimmer of all time, behind Olympic Champions Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Kieran Perkins
| 2011 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships events | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Final medal count: 3 (2 gold, 0 silver, 1 bronze) | |||
| Event | Time | Place | |
| 200m freestyle | 1:47.68 | Bronze | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:45.16 | Gold | |
| 800m freestyle relay | 7:55.20 | Gold | |
After Napoleon qualified to contest in the 400m and 1500m freestyle at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, swimming governing body FINA imposed a three month doping ban on the swimmer due to results of a failed drug test taken in November 2009.[1] Although FINA accepted an innocent mistake was made when Napoleon took incorrectly labelled asthma medication, it was decided that he would be ineligible for three months after the violation with the suspension commencing on 20 August 2010 meaning that he was unable to train with his squad and would be unable to compete in the games.[1]
Napoleon appealed the decision made by FINA to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) resulting in the ban being back dated to 15 June 2010[1]. Although he had missed out on vital training and preparation, Napoleon was then eligible to compete in Delhi where he claimed silver in the 400m freestyle and gold in the 4x200m relay.[2]