Ryutaro Ibara (born 1994) is a Japanese deaf swimmer. He is regarded as one of the most decorated Deaflympic athletes from Japan with a medal tally of 19 at the Deaflympics.[1]

Ryutaro Ibara
Personal information
NationalityJapanese
Born1994
Edogawa Ward, Tokyo
Sport
Country Japan
Sportswimming
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing  Japan
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Summer Deaflympics 5 8 4
Summer Deaflympics
Gold medal – first place Taipei 2009 200m backstroke
Gold medal – first place Caxias do Sul 2021 200m freestyle
Gold medal – first place Caxias do Sul 2021 200m individual medley
Gold medal – first place Caxias do Sul 2021 100m butterfly
Gold medal – first place Caxias do Sul 2021 400m individual medley
Silver medal – second place Sofia 2013 200m individual medley
Silver medal – second place Sofia 2013 400m individual medley
Silver medal – second place Sofia 2013 50m backstroke
Silver medal – second place Samsun 2017 200m individual medley
Silver medal – second place Samsun 2017 4x100m medley relay
Silver medal – second place Samsun 2017 4x200m freestyle relay
Silver medal – second place Caxias do Sul 2021 4x100m freestyle relay
Silver medal – second place Caxias do Sul 2021 50m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place Sofia 2013 100m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place Sofia 2013 200m backstroke
Bronze medal – third place Samsun 2017 400m individual medley
Bronze medal – third place Samsun 2017 4x100m freestyle relay

Biography

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He was born in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo.[2]

Career

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He completed his higher education at the Tokai University. He eventually joined SMBC Nikko Securities as an athlete employee.[2]

He made his Deaflympic debut at the 2009 Summer Deaflympics, when he was still a high school student. At the 2009 Summer Deaflympics, he competed in the men's 50m freestyle,[3] 50m backstroke,[4] 50m butterfly,[5] 100m backstroke,[6] 200m backstroke,[7] 4 × 100 m freestyle relay,[8] 4 × 100 m medley relay[9] and 4 × 200 m medley relay events.[10] He claimed his maiden Deaflympic medal at his first Deaflympic appearance, when he secured a gold medal in the men's 200m backstroke event. He won the 200m backstroke event at 2009 Deaflympics after clocking 2 minutes and 13 seconds.[7] In August 2011, he tied the deaf swimming world record in the men's 400m freestyle category at the 3rd World Deaf Swimming Championships.[11][12]

He continued his medal success at the Deaflympics during his second Deaflympic appearance in 2013, when he clinched 3 silver medals and 2 bronze medals. At the 2013 Deaflympics, he secured silver medals in the men's 200m individual medley,[13] 400m individual medley[14] and 50m backstroke events,[15] whereas he bagged bronze medals in the men's 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke events.[16][17] At the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, he clinched silver medals in the men's 200m individual medley,[18] 4 × 100 m medley relay[19] and 4 × 200 m freestyle relay events.[20] He also managed to take home two bronze medals after his participation in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay and 400m individual medley events during 2017 Deaflympics.[21][22]

In August 2019, he took part at the 5th World Deaf Swimming Championships and set deaf swimming world records in the men's 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley categories.[23][24] In his fourth successive appearance at the Deaflympics in 2021, he won multiple gold medals in the men's swimming events and ended his long wait for a Deaflympic gold medal since the 2009 Summer Deaflympics. He claimed gold medals in the men's 200m freestyle,[25] 200m individual medley,[26] 100m butterfly[27] and 400m individual medley events at the 2021 edition of the Summer Deaflympics.[28] He also took home two silver medals, in addition to his gold medal collection during the 2021 Summer Deaflympics.[29][30]

He initially announced his retirement from swimming after the 2021 Summer Deaflympics, but he withdrew the retirement decision after Tokyo had been officially announced as the host city of the 2025 Summer Deaflympics.[2] The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf adjudged Ryutaro Ibara as the ICSD Sportsman of the Year 2022 following his medal achievements at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics.[31][32][33]

References

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  1. ^ "Ryutaro IBARA". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Ryutaro Ibara | TOKYO FORWARD 2025". Tokyo Foward 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 50m Freestyle (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 50m Backstroke (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 50m Butterfly (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 100m Backstroke (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 200m Backstroke (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 4x100m Freestyle Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 4x100m Medley Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Taipei 2009 - Swimming 4x200m Freestyle Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  11. ^ "World Deaf Swimming Championships: Ryutaro Ibara Ties World Deaf Record on Final Day". Swimming World Magazine. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Men's 400m Freestyle Results" (PDF). www.lpdsurdos.org.pt. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2024.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Sofia 2013 - Swimming 200m Individual Medley (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Sofia 2013 - Swimming 400m Individual Medley (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Sofia 2013 - Swimming 50m Backstroke (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Sofia 2013 - Swimming 100m Backstroke (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Sofia 2013 - Swimming 200m Backstroke (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Samsun 2017 - Swimming 200m Individual Medley (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Samsun 2017 - Swimming 4x100m Medley Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Samsun 2017 - Swimming 4x200m Freestyle Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Samsun 2017 - Swimming 400m Individual Medley (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Samsun 2017 - Swimming 4x100m Freestyle Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  23. ^ "5th World Deaf Championships – Day 5 Finals Results" (PDF). wdsc2019.files.wordpress.com. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  24. ^ "5th World Deaf Championships – Day 1 Finals Results" (PDF). wdsc2019.files.wordpress.com. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Caxias do Sul 2022 - Swimming 200m Freestyle (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  26. ^ "Caxias do Sul 2022 - Swimming 200m Individual Medley (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  27. ^ "Caxias do Sul 2022 - Swimming 100m Butterfly (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  28. ^ "Caxias do Sul 2022 - Swimming 400m Individual Medley (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  29. ^ "Caxias do Sul 2022 - Swimming 4x100m Freestyle Relay (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  30. ^ "Caxias do Sul 2022 - Swimming 50m Butterfly (Men)". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  31. ^ "Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year in 2022". ciss.org. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  32. ^ Shimbun, The Yomiuri (16 November 2024). "Tokyo Deaflympics Unveil Medals; Origami Crane Symbolizing Hope Featured". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  33. ^ "Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year". www.deaflympics.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.