Ryan Murphy with the Rio backstroke sweep, winning Olympic gold in the 200 meter

Cal teammates Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley supported each other all the way to the 200 meter backstroke final, finishing with two of the four best times overall from the semifinals.

Murphy won his first Olympic medal earlier this week in the 100 meter backstroke, just edging out all other competitors for Olympic gold. This was an even better swim in the 200 meter. Murphy started with a strong swim, taking the lead after the 100 meter mark.

Pebley had a strong swim as well, finishing 5th overall. Murphy is not likely done with winning gold either. He will almost certainly be competing in the men’s medley relay in the backstroke for the United States, with Pebley potentially competing in the preliminaries for a medal of his own.

Cal is now up to 12 individual medals and 9 event medals.

GO BEARS!

Calympians Medal Count:

(Through men’s 200 meter backstroke)

5 Golds, 4 Silvers, 2 Bronze

Dana Vollmer (USA) - Silver from Women’s 4x100 Free Relay, Bronze from Women’s 100 Fly

Abbey Weitzeil (USA) - Silver from Women’s 4x100 Free Relay

Nathan Adrian (USA) - Gold from Men’s 4x100 Free Relay, Bronze from Men’s 100 Free

Anthony Ervin (USA) - Gold from Men’s 4x100 Free Relay

Kathleen Baker (USA) - Silver from Women’s 100 Back

Ryan Murphy (USA) - Gold from Men’s 100 Back, Men’s 200 Back

Josh Prenot (USA) - Silver from Men’s 200 Breast

Missy Franklin (USA) - Gold from Women’s 4x200 Free Relay

Cierra Runge (USA)* - Gold from Women’s 4x200 Free Relay

*Runge is not one of the 50 Calympians on the Cal Athletics list, so our Calympian medal count may differ from their

GO BEARS!