Ryan Murphy Analyzes His 2021 Olympic Games Backstroke Competition

2021-07-03

In this Gold Medal Minute takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast with 3-time Olympic Champion Ryan Murphy, we cover a lot of topics. Unpacking 2017-2021 2017 World Champs - Murphy was off because he achieved everything he wanted at the 2016 Olympics. In '17, he lost a bit of focus. He was still fast, but at the top, he learned that year that he has to be fully engaged. 2018 Pan Pacs - when Murphy hit his 200 back PB (1:53.57), he rested a full six weeks. Murphy has big man strength. He knows he needs 5-6 weeks of taper. 2019 World C...

In this Gold Medal Minute takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast with 3-time Olympic Champion Ryan Murphy, we cover a lot of topics.

Unpacking 2017-2021

2017 World Champs - Murphy was off because he achieved everything he wanted at the 2016 Olympics. In '17, he lost a bit of focus. He was still fast, but at the top, he learned that year that he has to be fully engaged.

2018 Pan Pacs - when Murphy hit his 200 back PB (1:53.57), he rested a full six weeks. Murphy has big man strength. He knows he needs 5-6 weeks of taper.

2019 World Champs - Murphy said he felt great, was ready to race, but he simply had a bad meet against great competitors.

2021 Olympic Trials - Murphy was rested 3 weeks. He felt confident and in control--exactly where he needed to be. Of course Murphy won the 100 back (52.33) and 200 back (1:54.4).

Who Does Murphy Fear?

Murphy said he fears no one, but he does respect his competitors, and he unpacks them in this podcast.

Raising Talent

I thought Shaine Casas would make the Olympic Team, and he got close, netting 3rd in the 100m backstroke (52.76) at U.S. Olympic Trials. Murphy said he followed Shaine's success, and that new talent like Shaine gave him a sense of urgency in training this past year.

ISL

Murphy talks about his post Olympic plans. At this point in time, he has been retained by LA Current's General Manager Lenny Krayzelburg for Season 3.

2021 OLYMPIC GAMES PREDICTIONS

100 back? I see a repeat of the 2016 Olympics. Ryan Murphy dips under 52 seconds, edging China's Jiayu Xu for the gold. Russian Evgeny Rylov takes the bronze. (And, yes, this is shot in the dark. I could see Jiayu, Rylov, Kolesnikov and/or Murphy make a mistake and missing the podium. It's going to be a tight race. Would be interesting if upstart Hunter Armstrong makes the podium.)

200 back? Evgeny Rylov wins. Rylov's 1:52.9 to 1:53 low. With 3 more weeks of rest Murphy tops his PB, 1:53.4 for silver. The UK's Luke Greenbank makes the podium with a 1:54 low.

4x100 Medley Relay? I want to see Team USA earn gold. Getting past the U.K squad will be tough. For Team USA I think Michael Andrew has to put down a 57+ in the 100 breast, and Zach Apple has to split 46.8 on the anchor. (Apple was a 46.8 split at 2019 World Champs.) I'm leaving it there, because it's not about what I think. It's all about what you think. I really want to know your thoughts on the 4x100 medley Olympic final...

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