Ryan Murphy Discusses Olympic Year and Leadership Role With Team USA
For nearly a decade, Ryan Murphy has been a staple of consistent and elite performance for the United States. The multi-time Olympic and world champion has enjoyed a stellar 2023 season, which was highlighted by a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke at last summer’s World Championships in Fukuoka. Murphy also earned the silver medal in the 200 backstroke at Worlds, and fueled Team USA to victory in the 400 medley relay.
At last weekend’s Golden Goggle Awards in Los Angeles, Murphy was named Male Swimmer of the Year and he’ll head into the Olympic year carrying momentum. Murphy is chasing his third consecutive Olympic bid, having collected six medals between the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
During the Golden Goggle Awards, Murphy acknowledged the impact of Matt Grevers on his career, telling a story on stage about Grevers’ inspirational words at the 2012 Olympic Trials. While Grevers was a Team USA captain during his days, Murphy has emerged as a leader for the United States as he has risen from budding star to veteran.
As the red carpet portion of the Golden Goggles unfolded, Murphy took a moment to speak with Swimming World about the upcoming Olympic campaign and his leadership role for the U.S. National Team.