2022 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT
- March 2-5, 2022
- FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, Illinois
- Start Times (CST): 9:00 am prelims / 6:00 pm finals
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Reported by Ben Dornan.
Men’s 200 Backstroke
- World Record: Aaron Peirsol (USA): 1:51.92
- American Record: Aaron Peirsol: 1:51.92
- US Open Record: Aaron Peirsol: 1:53.08
- World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS): 1:55.14
- Pro Swim Record: Xu Jiayu (CHN): 1:55.04
Top 3:
- Ryan Murphy: 1:56.78
- Shaine Casas: 1:58.09
- Sam Stewart: 2:00.30
Ryan Murphy could not be stopped in the men’s 200 backstroke final, powering to the wall in a 1:56.78 to himself to the top of the world rankings for 2022. Murphy was behind runner-up Shaine Casas at the halfway mark, having split a 57.46 to Casas’ 56.87.
Murphy closed with a sub-minute split of 59.32 to get gold and replace Yohan Ndoye-Brouard’s former #1 global time of 1:58.83. Casas also got under that time with his 1:58.09 to become #2 in the world this year. Murphy swam a PB in this event back in 2018 with a 1:53.57 and put up a 1:54.15 at the Tokyo Games last summer to win a silver medal.
While I appreciate the speculative arguments below, I have to say, THIS GUY IS JUST ‘THE BEST’. Whenever he is interviewed, appears in public, swims with ISL – whatever – there is just such a total sense of class, decency, and an ability to make honest assessments of his talents [past and present] and those of his competitors. A MAJOR figure STILL, going into Paris 2024!
Apart from that time when he baselessly complained about d*p1ng when he didn’t win a gold medal. Or the time he called his own countryman a b**** when he beat him.
But yeah, all class lol
I don’t know of many men who improve their 200 LCM in their late 20’s. It seems like it’s difficult to even repeat your best times at that point. Phelps never improved his after 23/24 and Lochte at 26.
If I were a betting man, I’d say maybe Ryan could shed a tenth or so of his 100. I think we’ve seen his full capabilities by now. Very impressive career nonetheless.
No hurt in trying
I think his perfect races if everything aligned on the day for him he could have been 51.7 and 1:52.8 at his absolute peak (thinking 2016’s with his NCAA’s and Olympic performances) but you never do get your perfect races. I would love to see him get faster but I do agree with your analysis that he’ll stay competitive but probably not beat his best in the 200