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008 BACK IN TRAINING, RYAN MURPHY TARGETING PARIS 2024; LEGENDARY BACKSTROKE STATUS WITHIN REACH
by John Lohn
Following a well-deserved break from the pool, six-time Olympic medalist Ryan Murphy revealed on social media that he has returned to training, officially starting his quest for a third Olympic berth with Paris 2024 the target. If he flourishes there, Murphy could ascend to top-three status in the history of men’s backstroke.
009 ANTHONY NESTY NAMED 2022 ASCA GEORGE HAINES COACH OF THE YEAR
by Dan D’Addona
Florida head swimming coach Anthony Nesty was named the 2022 American Swimming Coaches Association George Haines Coach of the Year. He joins Coaches Gregg Troy and Randy Reese as the only coaches in Gators history to win the award.
010 GREAT RACES: HE CLOCKED WHAT? WHEN MICHAEL PHELPS NEARLY BROKE THE WORLD RECORD IN THE 100 BACKSTROKE
by John Lohn
For all of Michael Phelps’ greatness and his range of excellence, it is often forgotten that the five-time Olympian nearly took down the world record in the 100 backstroke at the 2007 U.S. Nationals. It was inside the famed Indiana University Natatorium in which Phelps—on two occasions—threatened Aaron Peirsol’s global standard in the event.
012 GREAT RACES: WHEN SPRINT LEGENDS TOM JAGER AND MATT BIONDI TOOK THE 50 FREESTYLE INTO SUB-22 RANGE
by John Lohn
At the 1990 U.S. Sprint Championships in Nashville, Tom Jager and Matt Biondi changed what was thought to be attainable in the one-lap dash: a sub-22 outing. After becoming the first to break the barrier in semis (21.98), Jager then edged Biondi in the final, 21.81 to 21.85. In a matter of a couple of hours, they turned in the four-fastest swims in the history of the 50 meter freestyle and took the event into a new realm.
014 GREAT RACES: WHEN MISSY FRANKLIN WENT TO THE DIVING WELL AHEAD OF OLYMPIC GOLD IN 100 BACKSTROKE
by John Lohn
There was only a 14-minute gap between the semifinal of the 200 free and the final of the 100 backstroke at the 2012 Olympics in London. With lactic acid built up from the 200, Missy Franklin only had time to do a few warm-down laps—in the nearby diving well. Result: she qualified for the next night’s 200 final and won the gold medal in the 100 back!
016 GREAT RACES: WHEN TEAMMATES GARY HALL JR. AND ANTHONY ERVIN SHARED OLYMPIC GOLD IN 50 FREESTYLE
by John Lohn
Training together at the Phoenix Swim Club and living as roommates in the Olympic Village, veteran Gary Hall Jr. and upstart Anthony Ervin wrote an intriguing chapter in the history of sprinting when they shared the gold medal in the 50 freestyle at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
021 GREAT RACES: WHEN JON SIEBEN SHOT DOWN THE “ALBATROSS” FOR OLYMPIC GOLD
by John Lohn
This installment looks at the final of the 200 meter butterfly at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In that race, Australian Jon Sieben pulled off one of the biggest upsets the sport has ever seen.
022 FIVE AMERICAN MEN ON THE VERGE OF INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH
by David Rieder
Given their performances in previous seasons, it was not a huge surprise to see the likes of Carson Foster, Shaine Casas, Hunter Armstrong and Matt Fallon, among others, emerge among the U.S. men as some of the new stars on the international stage. But who’s next? SW Biweekly takes a look at a few swimmers now on the radar heading into this college season and the ensuing 2023 long course season.
024 GREAT RACES: SARAH SJOSTROM PLANNING FOR SIXTH OLYMPIC GAMES AT LA 2028: “I THINK I AM GOING TO CONTINUE FOR MUCH LONGER”
by Liz Byrnes
Only four swimmers have competed at six Olympics: Therese Alshammar and Lars Frolander (Sweden), Ous Mellouli (Tunisia) and Derya Buyukuncu (Turkey). Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom will be competing in her fifth Olympics at Paris 2024, with hopes of joining that quartet in 2028.
