Three-time 2016 Olympic Champion, Ryan Murphy, has been going through an adjustment period. His follow up at the 2017 World Championships was not where he wanted to be. Early in the 2018 Pro Series season, at Atlanta, Murphy showed signs he’s back on-track – 53.2 100 back win over Japan Roysuke Irie and 1:55.4 200 back topping Cal teammate Jacob Pebley.
Murphy was not rested in Atlanta and attributes the success to his focus in practice. “It took some time to get my focus back,” he said, after his stunning performance in Rio.
Murphy was open about his disappointment in the wake of 2017 World Championships. What will it take for Murphy to regain the title Greatest Backstroker on Earth this summer? I’m thinking, 51.79 100m back and 1:53.57 200m back. What do you think?
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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
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Boy, is this anticlimactic after the Dressel swims.
I could almost hear this comment in my head before publishing this post…but the swim-narrative moves forward. Maybe the best context of this video after NCAAs is the Lopez-Factor. We’ve been wowed by the Bolles-Boyz–Dressel, Murphy, Schooling & Condorelli. Dressel’s shining bright, has been since ’16, but I see all of these swimmers dropping great swims between now and 2020. They will all be in the sweet-spot age-wise, 23-25.I could see them all on the podium at the 2020 Olympics. (
Murphy is capable of knocking out Pierson’s 200 back record. Ain’t nothin anticlimactic about breaking world records held by the backstroke GOAT
Hope to see both him and Schooling bounce back this summer
Murphy had a very decent LC season last year ….he can surely get faster this year for Pan Pacs . Grevers + Murphy will be likely the best for Usa’s 100 back candidates – unless someone else’s steps up to the plate but who ?
Justin Ress?
Ress? No.
C’mon now. Where did he even finish at NCAAs in the 100 or 200 back??
Could he focus on it and maybe continue to build on his 50 from last summer? Maybe, but I dont see it. Backstroke does seem to be the weakest area for American swimmers now though, so it is wide open for the 3rd or 4th best American backstroker now. (Until Dressel decides to swim it).
Ress is becoming a fast sprinter now ….so hard to know what he decides to focus on .
Ress was like 53 flat last year wasn’t he? He was almost knocked Murphy off the team in the 100 back
A not fully rested Murphy having a off year. Ress isn’t going to touch him now. Maybe in a few years, but I doubt it.
Carson foster
At this point, who else? Double Olympic gold medallist who had a bit of a down year post Rio, which is hardly unusual.
Only other candidates would be Xu and Rylov, but neither of them even medaled in the other backstroke event last summer.
It’s exciting though, all 3 of those are in their early 20s plus Kolesnikov has shown potential to do incredible things come Tokyo.
The 4 of them pushing each other could take down that 200 record, which is definitely one of the tougher suit times.
Rylov did not swim the individual 100 free.. Tarasevich and Kolesnikov did..but he went 52,89 opening Russia Medley relay, which would place him 4th on The Individual 100 I think.
But Probably Kolesnikov seems to be the one who might ascend on Top.. not even on the back but he may also be a force on the 200 free..