Ryan Murphy Will Not Compete This Summer, ‘Will Keep the Door Open’ for Future Return
The top men’s backstroker in the United States for the past decade will not be part of the team bound for this summer’s World Championships in Singapore. Ryan Murphy revealed on social media Tuesday that he will sit out this season but that he is not retiring and could return to racing in the future. Murphy plans to spend time with his wife, Bridget, and their newborn daughter Eevi.
“I want to share an update that I won’t be competing this summer,” Murphy wrote. “Instead I’ll be able to spend more quality time with Bridget and Eevi and dive into career interests beyond swimming.”
Murphy shared that he has begun his post-competitive career, working with “the Growth Equity team at Norwest focusing on sports investment opportunities.” He finished with the note that “I still have unfinished goals in the sport and will keep the door open for what’s next. Can’t wait to cheer on Team USA this summer!”
Murphy has won nine Olympic medals in his career, including five golds. He has 17 medals, including seven golds, at the long course edition of the World Championships, plus nine golds among 14 total medals at Short Course Worlds. He has won titles in the 100 and 200 back at every major meet in which he has competed, and he held the world record in the 100 back from 2016 through 2022. His leading mark of 51.85 remains the American record.
The best performance of his career came at the 2016 Olympics, when he swept the 100 and 200-meter backstroke golds before leading the Americans to a 400 medley relay triumph. Last year in Paris, Murphy earned bronze in the 100 back, and he rebounded from a disappointing 200 back to lead the U.S. mixed medley relay team to gold in world-record time as well as silver in the men’s medley relay.