Ryan Murphy Breaks Down 24 Second AR in 24 Seconds (Video)

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
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^{Reported by Lauren Neidigh.}

MEN’S 50 BACK:

• World Record: Liam Tancock, 24.04, 2009
• American Record: Randall Bal, 24.33, 2008
• Championship Record: Justin Ress, 24.41, 2017
• U.S. Open Record: Junya Koga, 24.36, 2015

1. GOLD: Ryan Murphy– 24.24
2. SILVER: Justin Ress– 24.31
3. BRONZE: Ryan Held– 24.60
4. FOURTH: Michael Andrew– 24.62

Olympic backstroke champion Ryan Murphy had an off year in 2017, but he’s back. After a very good 200 back, Murphy brought in another title tonight with a new American Record. He’s well on his way to sweeping the backstrokes at this meet. Murphy broke the 10-year-old mark in 24.24, crushing his former best time by 4 tenths. He also cleared the U.S. Open Record and Meet Record.

2017 national champ Justin Ress was also under the former record, clipping his best by a tenth in 24.31. Ress has a good chance of qualifying in the 100 back later on, as does Matt Grevers. Olympic champ Grevers took 5th tonight in 24.63. Grevers, the bronze medalist in the 50 back at 2017 Worlds, was about a tenth shy of his best ever. Since Murphy is already swimming the 50 back, he could still qualify to swim the 50 back at Worlds if he either has the fastest or 2nd fastest time in the 100 back between Worlds and Pan Pacs.

In his 3rd race of the night and 6th race of the day, Michael Andrew was just .03 off his best time from prelims, touching in 24.62 for 4th place. Ryan Held was just a hundredth off his best from prelims, out-touching Andrew for 3rd in 24.60.