Murphy & Prenot: Dave has built Cal for sustained success (Video)

^{Produced by Coleman Hodges.}

^{Reported by Jared Anderson.} 

200 BACK – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:36.77, Ryan Murphy, 2015
• American Record: 1:36.77, Ryan Murphy, 2015
• U.S. Open Record: 1:36.77, Ryan Murphy, 2015
• Pool Record: 1:36.81, Ryan Lochte, 2007
• 2015 Champion: 1:36.77, Ryan Murphy, Cal

Top 3:

1. Ryan Murphy, Cal – 1:35.73
2. Jacob Pebley, Cal – 1:38.50
3. Hennessey Stuart, NC State – 1:38.56

Cal’s Ryan Murphy continues to expand what we thought was possible in the backstroke races, becoming the first man ever under 1:36 in the 200 back with a 1:35.73.

That swim breaks the NCAA, American and U.S. Open records and gives Murphy three of the four fastest swims in history. He’s now twice beaten Ryan Lochte‘s former American record of 1:36.81, set in this same Atlanta pool back in 2007.

It was a great event for Cal, with Murphy’s senior teammate Jacob Pebley going 1:38.50 for the Golden Bear 1-2. Pebley trailed NC State’s Hennessey Stuart at the halfway point, but surged back to touch out Stuart for silver. Stuart was 1:38.56.

In a historically fast prelims session, the top 9 swimmers all got under 1:40, but only six of the top eight broke the barrier again at night. Tennessee’s Sean Lehane was 1:39.29 for fourth, followed by Alabama’s Connor Oslin (1:39.85) and BYU’s Jake Taylor (1:39.93).

In the B final, Louisville’s Grigory Tarasevich stayed under the barrier, going 1:39.81 to hold 9th, and Alabama’s Chris Reid went 1:39.87, meaning 10 men broke 1:40 on the day in total.