U.S Nationals: Hunter Armstrong, Ryan Murphy Run It (100) Back

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

U.S Nationals: Hunter Armstrong, Ryan Murphy Run It (100) Back

A year ago at the World Championships, the United States’ men’s backstroke program took home six medals from three backstroke events.

The possessors of those 100 back medals are going to be back at it this summer in Fukuoka.

Hunter Armstrong edged out a familiar face in Ryan Murphy, the duo a half second clear of the field at Phillips 66 Nationals in Indianapolis Friday night.

Armstrong clocked in at 52.33 seconds. Murphy was just behind in 52.39. Third place went to Justin Ress in 52.90.

Armstrong and Murphy were even at the midway point in 25.39, that despite Murphy beating Armstrong by .14 seconds off the wall. Destin Lasco came home in 27.25 and looked like he might be able to make a charged, but he fell short in 53.20, though he rose from seventh to fourth at the midway point. Adam Chaney was fifth.

“That was probably one of the most painful 100 backs of my career so far,” Armstrong said, stifling a bit of a laugh. “But it was very, very tight field. Destin impressed me a lot. I knew he was a great backstroker, but he popped off an amazing 100 free and then dropped more than a second in the 100 back.”

That wasn’t enough to stop the Budapest reunion of Murphy and Armstrong. In Budapest, Thomas Ceccon set a world record in the 100 back at 51.60 seconds. Murphy was second in 51.98, .01 up on Armstrong. Armstrong added a silver in the 50 back, Murphy the gold in the 200 back.

Since he became part of that legacy at the Tokyo Olympics, Armstrong, always a savvy and personable presence, understands the weight of historic expectations.

“It’s incredibly important,” Armstrong said. “I love it and I’m honored to be a part of it. I hope that that tradition of excellence continues well into the future.”

Murphy is in position to defend his gold in the 200 back, having won that event in 1:55.03, he and Lasco bound for Worlds. Armstrong was denied the Worlds spot in the 50 back by Ress, the reigning gold medalist, by .06 seconds Thursday, Ress winning in 24.16. (In that A final, like Friday’s, Armstrong was the last one off the wall in terms of reaction time.)

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