RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The United States has extended its domination of the men’s 100-meter backstroke.
Ponte Vedra Beach swimmer Ryan Murphy gave the Americans their sixth straight gold medal in the event, rallying on the return lap to win with a time of 51.97 seconds Monday night at the Rio Olympics.
Murphy was fourth at the turn, with Australia’s Mitch Larkin setting the early pace.
Larkin couldn’t hold on. China’s Xu Jiayu surged to the silver in 52.31, while another American, David Plummer of Minneapolis, stretched for the bronze in 52.40 — just three-hundredths of a second ahead of a fading Larkin.
It was quite a moment for Plummer, who finally made his first Olympic team at age 30. Now, he’s got his first medal.
The Americans haven’t lost the men’s 100 back since the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.