Ryan Murphy secures seventh Olympic medal with Bronze in 100-meter backstroke

Murphy has been keeping up with his record of medals since 2016 when he scored gold

Ryan Murphy, the standout swimmer from Team USA, has secured his seventh Olympic medal at the Paris Games, finishing third in the men’s 100-meter backstroke. 

The event saw Thomas Ceccon of Italy capture gold with a time of 52 seconds, while Jiayu Xu of China took silver, finishing 32 seconds behind. Murphy clocked in at 52.39 seconds, a notable improvement from his qualifying time.

Murphy, aged 29, continues to hold the Olympic record for the 100-meter backstroke, a title he earned with his gold medal performance at the 2016 Rio Games. His consistent excellence was demonstrated again at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he won bronze. This latest bronze medal marks his third consecutive podium finish in this event.

 

With this achievement, Murphy joins the ranks of the most decorated Olympic athletes in history, a prestigious group comprising those with six or more medals.

Reflecting on his Olympic journey, Murphy shared insights with Sports Illustrated before the Games. He reminisced about his debut in Rio, noting, “I just went into the Olympics, and I really had no idea what to expect. I think the naïveté was pretty good for me. I was just able to follow the leaders we had on the team and just kind of go in there with no pressure. It allowed me to just focus on racing.”

This time around, however, Murphy feels a heightened sense of responsibility. “With a slew of medals to my name, I’m more aware of the consequences of performance,” he admitted. “I think I’m good at dealing with pressure, but definitely understand the magnitude of it now.”

Murphy's campaign in Paris is not yet over. He is set to compete in the men’s 200-meter backstroke on July 31 and may also be chosen for upcoming men’s relay events for Team USA. The swimming competitions will continue through August 4.