Felicity Sheedy-Ryan: Abandonment, Adaptation and the Solo Return

In 2024, Felicity Sheedy-Ryan lined up for her first solo Rottnest Channel Swim. Fit, prepared, and ready — only for the race to be abandoned mid-crossing in some of the worst conditions in the event’s history. For many swimmers, that would have been the end of the story. In this episode, Flick reflects on what it meant to have a deeply personal goal taken away, how injury and identity had already reshaped her relationship with sport, and why she chose to return in 2025 to finish what she started. We explore the psychology of setbacks, adapting when things fall outside your control, the difference between being fit and being ready, and what resilience really looks like over the long game. With the 2026 event also cancelled, this conversation speaks directly to swimmers navigating disappointment right now — and to anyone learning how to shift, rebuild, and go again.   Follow Flick on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheedyryan?igsh=MW1tYzFndmRjZnhudQ==   This interview was recorded on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. I acknowledge the Noongar people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and pay my respects to Elders past and present