{"id":585596,"date":"2024-05-17T18:28:51","date_gmt":"2024-05-18T01:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=585596"},"modified":"2024-05-17T18:28:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-18T01:28:51","slug":"ryan-murphy-notches-his-fastest-200-back-performance-of-2024-club-excellence-challenge-mens-roundup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ryan-murphy-notches-his-fastest-200-back-performance-of-2024-club-excellence-challenge-mens-roundup\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Murphy Notches His Fastest 200 Back Performance of 2024 (Club Excellence Challenge Men’s Roundup)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Murphy Notches His Fastest 200 Back Performance of 2024 (Club Excellence Challenge Men’s Roundup)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The top U.S. men’s backstroker of the past decade,\u00a0Ryan Murphy<\/strong>, is hoping to win medals at a third consecutive Olympics this summer, and he appears to be rounding into form just in time for the upcoming Olympic Trials. Murphy, the 2016 Olympic champion in both backstroke events as well as a world titlist in both the 200 back (2022) and 100 back (2023), earned a win in the longer event at USA Swimming’s Club Excellence Challenge meet in Irvine, Calif.<\/p>\n

In a head-to-head duel, Murphy held off Cal teammate\u00a0Hugo Gonzalez<\/strong>, who represents Spain internationally, to get the win in 1:56.64. Gonzalez was just behind in 1:57.05, with fellow Golden Bear\u00a0Keaton Jones<\/strong> third (1:57.79). Surprisingly,\u00a0200-yard back NCAA champion and World Championships finalist\u00a0Destin Lasco<\/strong> fell to fifth (2:03.51).<\/p>\n

The only American to top Murphy’s time this year is\u00a0Jack Aikins<\/strong>, who went 1:56.21 on his way to fourth place at the World Championships in February. He swam a time of 1:57.52 to take the win in Atlanta, beating out\u00a0Yeziel Morales Miranda\u00a0<\/strong>(1:58.76). The fastest time in Austin belonged to\u00a0Chris O’Connor\u00a0<\/strong>(2:03.54).<\/p>\n