Race Video: Men’s 100 Back Final with .15 Separating Xu, Grevers, Murphy

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

With only 15/100 separating the gold medal from the bronze, the men’s 100m backstroke final could not have been much closer. China’s Xu Jiayu got his hand to the wall first, followed in quick succession by Americans Matt Grevers and Ryan Murphy.

Watch the entire race below courtesy of NBC Sports.


Write-up by Loretta Race:

MEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

In an incredibly close race, the top 3 men all finished within .15 of one another, led by China’s Xu Jiayu. He entered this meet with the #1 time in the world (51.86) and delivered on that potential here, spitting 25.12/27.32 for gold in a final time of 52.44. Right behind, however, was a battle for silver, with the two Americans in the race doing their best to catch Xu before the 50m ran out.

Matt Grevers turned it on the last 15m to close in on Xu, but settle for silver in 52.48, after having missed out on the Olympic team. Current world record holder Ryan Murphy split 25.46/27.13 for bronze in 52.59.

Defending world champion Mitch Larkin of Australia wound up in 6th place with a time of 53.24, off the podium. He’ll contest both the 50m and 200m backstroke races later in the meet.

For Xu, he just earned China’s first-ever World Championships medal in the men’s 100m backstroke event.

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MrBriefStroke
6 years ago

Matt Grevers represents what swimming is all about. Who would have predicted he almost would have been world champion by .04 after missing making the team for Rio?

Swimmer?
Reply to  MrBriefStroke
6 years ago

I didn’t even know if he would medal.

gator fan
6 years ago

Murphy is gonna be hungry for that 200, and he looked considerably better in the 200 at nationals compared to the 100, I say 1:53.2 FTW.

Ab Ramirez
6 years ago
ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Ab Ramirez
6 years ago

thanks – i love the Italians commentaries , always passionate guys !!!

Bobthebuilder
6 years ago

Wow! Xu’s dive made the difference. Murphy has pretty much same reaction time, but Xu’s dive is like a bullet.

Sir Swimsalot
6 years ago

So happy for Grevers. Murphy will be pissed, so look for a good 200 BK.

Bobthebuilder
Reply to  Sir Swimsalot
6 years ago

Welcome back! Grevers is not done. Eyeing on Tokyo!

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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