Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre backstroke

Summary

Ryan Murphy secured the sixth consecutive Olympic gold for the United States in the men's 100-meter backstroke, pulling away from the field with a time of 51.97. That swim broke Matt Grevers' Olympic record from 2012 by 0.19 seconds and made Murphy only the second swimmer in event history, after Aaron Peirsol, to go under 52 seconds. He also became the fastest performer ever in a textile suit. China's Xu Jiayu took silver in 52.31, preventing an American 1-2 finish.

Murphy's teammate David Plummer, competing in his first Olympics at age 30, earned bronze in 52.40. Australia's defending world champion Mitch Larkin led early but finished fourth in 52.43. France's Camille Lacourt placed fifth in 52.70, just 0.04 seconds ahead of Russia's Evgeny Rylov, the Youth Olympic champion, who touched in 52.74. Japan's Ryosuke Irie, who won bronze in this event at the 2012 London Games, finished seventh in 53.42, and Romania's Robert Glință was eighth in 53.50.

Albert II, Prince of Monaco and an IOC member, presented the medals, while Mustapha Larfaoui, FINA's honorary life president, handed out the gifts.