Ricky Betar

Ricky Betar
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (2003-09-25) 25 September 2003 (age 21)
Osaka, Japan
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportParalympic swimming
Disability classS14, SB14, SM14
ClubUSC Spartans SC
Coached byCasey Atkins
Medal record
Paralympic swimming
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay S14
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris 200 m ind. medley SM14
World Para Swimming Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2019 London Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay S14

Ricky Betar (born 25 September 2003) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer with an intellectual disability. He competed at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and the 2024 Paris Paralympics .[1]

Personal

He was born 25 September 2003 in Osaka, Japan.[2] His father is Australian and mother is Japanese. He attended Moorebank High School.[3]

Swimming career

He is classified as a S14 swimmer. Betar has been swimming since he was 10 years old.[4] At the 2019 Australian Championships, he took home five medals at the national champs and broke an INAS world record for the 50m freestyle.[4] His time of 1:02.03 in the 100m backstroke resulted in him on making his maiden Australian team for the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships.[4] At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, London, he was a member of the Australian team that won the bronze medal in the Mixed 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay S14. He also competed in the Men's 200m Freestyle S14, Men's 100m Backstroke S14, Men's 100m Butterfly S14 and Men's 100m Butterfly S14.[2]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Betar teamed up with Madeleine McTernan, Ruby Storm, and Benjamin Hance in the Mixed 4 x 100 m freestyle S14.[5] They won the silver medal with a time of 3:46.38, just under 6 seconds behind the winners, Great Britain, who set a world record.[6] Betar also qualified for the finals in the 200 m freestyle S14 and 100 m butterfly S14 and finished seventh and eighth respectively.[7] He also competed in the 100 m backstroke S14 but failed to advance to the Final.[8] He competed at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester, England but did not medal.

At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Betar won the bronze medal in the Men's 200 m individual medley SM14, sixth in the Men's 100 m backstroke S14. He did not qualify for the Men's 200 m freestyle S14.[9]

In 2024, he is coached by Casey Atkins at USC Spartans SC.[10]

Recognition

In 2019, he was awarded the Kurt Fearnley Scholarship.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Ricky Betar". 2019 World Para Swimming Championships Results. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  3. ^ Conway, Doug (14 September 2016). "Ashford student Ricky Betar is set for stardom in the pool". Liverpool Leader. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Ricky Betar". Swimming Australia website. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  6. ^ "New Trio Of Dolphins Completes Prestigious Commonwealth Games Pod". Commonwealth Games Australia. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Ricky Betar". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Swimming Team For Paris 2024 Games". Paralympics Australia. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  10. ^ "2024 Australian Championships - Queenslandresults". Queensland Swimming. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Kurt Fearnley scholarships to support future stars/". Commonwealth Games Australia website. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.