Ryan Murphy Has Been “Inked”

Three-time Olympic gold-medalist Ryan Murphy has commemorated his success at this summer’s Rio Games by getting the Olympic rings tattooed on his shoulder. Murphy has the latissimi dorsii (also known as “lats” or “wings,” as the cool kids call them) of a manta ray, so he had plenty of real estate available to showcase the international symbol of athleticism. Murphy’s wings are on display below in an Instagram post from his Cal and Olympic teammate, Jacob Pebley:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIQIQjcA6QJ/?taken-by=jacob.pebley

The 21-year-old, who will begin his senior year at the University of California, Berkeley this fall, won gold individually in both the 100m and 200m Backstroke, and also as a member of the 4 x 100m Medley Relay (setting a new World Record in the 100m Backstroke as the leadoff leg). American swimmers who punch their tickets to the Olympics often get this symbolic tattoo to publicly display their membership into such an elite club. The list includes: Michael Phelps (hip), Matt Grevers (bicep), Ryan Lochte (bicep), Missy Franklin (hip), Dana Vollmer (lower back), and Conor Dwyer (bicep). Check out SwimSwam’s Instagram Gallery for more freshly inked 2016 Swimming Olympians from all over the world. Perhaps the most famous name missing from the list is Natalie Coughlin, who told The New York Times in 2012 that she “can’t commit to one.”

Despite comparing the sensation of getting a tattoo to having a torch placed on his skin, Murphy said he was excited about the result. He posted a picture of his freshly inked shoulder via his Instagram account:

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