Ryan Murphy, of the Bolles School Sharks, broke the high school national record in the 100 backstroke at the Florida State High School Championships.
Murphy touched the wall in 45.34! And that was only his prelim swim! Among the high school ranks, David Nolan (now at Stanford), clocked 45.49 back in 2011 for Hershey High School in Pennslyvania.
Murphy is headed to Cal (UC Berkeley) next year to swim for Coach David Durden.
“I believe that the coaches and athletes at Cal will provide me with the most competitive training environment,” Murphy explained. “The coaches are amazing and the team shares my goals of being an Olympian”
Murphy, best known for his exploits as a backstroker, holds of 9 out of a possible 18 National Age Group Records (NAGR) in backstroke (and he only recently turned 17. Murphy's going to swim faster and lower the 17-18 100 back NAGR a few times.
Last summer, Murphy wowed the crowd in Omaha by finishing 4th at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200 backstroker, cracking another one of Aaron Peirsol’s all-time bests.
Among the talent emerging after the 2012 London Olympic Games, Murphy and Jack Conger appear to have the most heat. Looking ahead to the 2013 FINA World Championship in Barcelona, expect them to step up and shine.
Other standout “prelim swims” at the Florida State High School Championship:
Santo Condorelli was a 19.8 in the 50 free.
Santo Condorelli was a 43.4 in the 100 free.
Joseph Schooling was a 47.3 in the 100 fly.