Rio 2016: Ryan Murphy wins Gold in Men’s 100 Back, sets new Olympic Record

In his 1st Olympic games, Cal senior Ryan Murphy has won the Gold medal in Men’s 100 Back. He sets an Olympic Record with a time of 51.97 in the process!!!

Congratulations to Ryan on his first Olympic medal and for it to be a Gold. Even if the Gold medal that he will receive is not quite the size that he had imagined as a kid. Ryan will get a shot to break the World Record in 200 Back later this week.

Also congratulations to Ryan Murphy’s parents.

China’s Xu Jiayu placed 2nd. Fellow American David Plummer placed 3rd.

Although he only posted the 4th best time in the prelim on Sunday morning, Murphy had the top time in the semifinals.

Ryan Murphy has dominated NCAA backstroke in the past three years. Overshadowed because he arrived in Berkeley in the same year as Missy Franklin, Murphy has won both the 100 (yard) and 200 (yard) Backstrokes NCAA Championships while constantly setting new records in all three years at Cal thus far.

The time has finally come for the rest of the country and the world to know just how great of a swimmer is Ryan Murphy.

Ryan Murphy is even better in the 200 Back. He will also no doubt be a key member of the USA men’s 4x100 Medley Relay - an event where the USA men have always taken the Gold. So keep an eye out for more Ryan Murphy in Rio 2016!

Calympians Medal Count:

3 Golds, 3 Silvers, 1 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

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

GO BEARS!