U.S. Olympic Trials, Day 6 Finals: Ryan Murphy Holds Off Keaton Jones, Jack Aikins For 200 Back Victory

Ryan Murphy -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

U.S. Olympic Trials, Day 6 Finals: Ryan Murphy Holds Off Keaton Jones, Jack Aikins For 200 Back Victory

For the third consecutive Olympics, Ryan Murphy will represent the United States as the country’s leading men’s backstroke over both 100 and 200 meters.

In his first Olympic appearance in Rio de Janeiro, Murphy won gold medals in both events, and five years later, he returned to the both podiums, although he was unable to take down fierce Russian rivals. Since 2017, Murphy has won medals in seven out of eight World Championships backstroke races (not counting this February’s meet, which he skipped), and over the last two years, he has rounded out his list of career accomplishments with world titles in the 200 back (2022) and 100 back (2023).

At every major meet, Murphy shows up, and that has been the case this week in Indianapolis as he pulled away from Hunter Armstrong to win the 100 back, and now, he has secured his spot in Paris in a 200-meter final that was much closer than expected. That’s because two college-age Americans did not let Murphy out of their sights the entire way and even closed the gap on the all-star backstroker down the stretch.

Murphy was up by more than a half-second at the halfway point, only to crush the field off the turn at the midway point. In the closing meters of the third length, however, Keaton Jones and Jack Aikins each closed the gap. Murphy again exploded off the final turn, only for Jones and Aikins to close in. The top three swimmers approached the flags in a pack, but Murphy kept his competition an arm’s length away.

Murphy touched in 1:54.33, becoming the first American to win both backstroke events at three consecutive Olympic Trials. Murphy swam the fastest time in the world in his 100 backstroke win, and he did so again in the 200 back, edging out the 1:54.51 posted by Hugo Gonzalez earlier Thursday for the fastest time in the world this year.

“I’ve put a lot of work into the 200 back this year,” Murphy said. “I’ve trained significantly more backstroke this year than I have the past two, and I felt really confident that especially the 200 back was going to be in a really good spot at this meet. I’m excited to learn from that and be faster in Paris.”

The 27-year-old is heading to another Olympics as a huge medal favorite and serious contender for gold twice over, as well as a reliable force on the front end of the U.S. men’s 400 medley relay.

Jones and Aikins both sizzled on the last 50, but Jones finished just ahead, 1:54.61 to 1:54.78, to claim a spot on his first Olympic team. Jones moved up to No. 3 in the world while Aikins sits fourth globally but without a chance to compete in Paris. Jones closed in 28.92, faster than even Murphy on the final length. Both Jones and Aikins broke 1:56 for the first time in the semifinals, setting themselves up for a tight finals showdown, but few expected either to seriously challenge Murphy down the stretch.

“I blacked out. I have no idea what just happened. I know I needed to execute. I’ve done enough 200 backs this season, more than I ever have, so I was kind of locked in. I knew Jack was there that last 50 and that I needed to bring it home,” Jones said.

“I wasn’t so much worried about Ryan. I knew he was going to do his own thing. I knew Jack flipped maybe a little ahead of me or right with me. I should’ve done maybe a few more underwaters, but I’m going to stick to my strengths so I popped up and just kept going.”

The race plan worked to perfection. As Jones finished saw his time and place pop up on the scoreboard, he became emotional, and Murphy, his teammate at Cal, lifted his arm into the air in celebration. The 1-2 finish for Murphy and Jones makes it three consecutive Trials that a fellow Golden Bear has joined Murphy on the Olympic team in the 200 back. Previously, Jacob Pebley made the team in 2016 while Bryce Mefford was the second swimmer in 2021.

“It’s an honor. Murphy is a legend. Backstroke at Cal in this event specifically, it’s a privilege to be part of that legacy,” Jones said. “[Murphy] said I earned that one, and that we’ve got to go podium in Paris.”

Murphy added, “It makes it extra special when you get to do it with a teammate. To get Keaton on that team, he’s been somebody who’s pushed me a lot this year in practice. I’m excited to see what he can do in Paris.”

This race completes a heartbreaking double for Aikins, who has now crushed his best times in both backstroke races but ended up third on both occasions, by two hundredths in the 100 back and now by 17-hundredths in the four-lap race. He finished more than two seconds clear of fourth-place swimmer Tommy Janton (1:57.12).

As for Murphy and Jones’ expected top competition in Paris, Hungary’s Hubert Kos should be considered as a slight favorite for gold after he overcame Murphy to win the world title last year with a time of 1:54.12. Gonzalez, a Spanish swimmer who has trained for years alongside Murphy at Cal, has emerged as a serious gold-medal threat after winning the world title in February and then breaking 1:55 for the first time earlier Thursday.

Since the conclusion of the last Olympics, Kos, Gonzalez and Murphy had been the only swimmers to break 1:55 until the sizzling efforts by Jones and Aikins in this Trials final.

Destin Lasco, yet another Cal backstroker, was the second seed in the event entering Olympic Trials after representing the U.S. alongside Murphy in last year’s World Championships final, but Lasco chose to scratch the 200 back to concentrate on the 100 freestyle.

Lasco had already qualified in the top-eight in the 100 free, and with the 200 back semifinal round taking place just before the freestyle final, Lasco opted out of his best event to chase his best shot at the Olympics, with up to six 100 freestylers to be selected for relay purposes. However, Lasco’s gamble backfired as he faded to fourth in the 100 free final, two tenths behind sixth-place finisher Matt King.

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