This is SwimSwam coverage of the men’s 100 backstroke fina at the 2013 Santa Clara Grand Prix l as reported by Braden Keith:
Matt Grevers is tall, but so is Arkady Vyachanin, himself standing 6’6″ in stature. That height held Vyachanin hang tough with the defending Olympic Champion in this event, as the two touched in identical 54.47′s.
Grevers hit the turn about three-tenths faster than his Russian (though, sportingly nomadic) counterpart, but Vyatchanin made it up on the back-half. Grevers acknowledged after the race that he was still working on his finish.
Stanford volunteer assistant/postgrad Eugene Godsoe was 3rd in 54.69; he was right in this race until the touch, but at only about 6’1, he gave up half-a-foot to the co-champions.
Junya Koga took 4th in 54.91 (he’s even more vertically challenged, coming in just under 6 feet) and Australian Bobby Hurley placed 5th in 54.97.
Drew Teduits had maybe his first off swim, though only in relative terms, in a while, placing 6th in 55.20. That’s quite a bit slower than he was in Charlotte last month. Jacob Pebley was 7th in 55.22.
Ryan Lochte, who was the top seed in prelims, scratched this final.
This video was captured by SwimSwam contributor Morgan Priestley.
What a great guy! After last Austin Grand Prix, he and Ricky Berens stood outside the UT Swim Center and took picture with fans for a long time, including our son. Always with a big smile and polite to all fans. We are big fans of Matt Grevers. That said, when I want to show to our son how to swim backstroke, I show 200 back race in London Olympics and Tyler Clary beating Ryan Lochte.
Another amazing background
Aaron Peirsol chilling
Yes there’s the legend Aaron Peirsol on the right of the picture!