American swimmer Ryan Murphy wins bronze in 200 men's backstroke

Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY
·1 min read
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TOKYO — For the first time in his Olympics career, Ryan Murphy knows anything but gold.

Murphy could not defend his gold in the 100 meter backstroke from the Rio 2016 Games or hold off Russian Olympic Committee swimmers Evgeny Rylov (51.98 seconds) and Kliment Koleskinov (52.00) of the Russian Olympic Committee. Five of the eight swimmers were in that Rio final five years ago.

Murphy swam a 52.19 to claim bronze despite entering the final with the top time of 52.24, five one-hundredths of a second ahead of Koleskinov.

American Ryan Murphy won bronze in the 100-meter backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics.
American Ryan Murphy won bronze in the 100-meter backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics.

The University of California-Berkeley graduate also won gold in the 200-meter back and the 4x100 medley relay in Rio, his first Olympics.

Murphy will look for another gold in the 200-meter back when qualifiers begin Wednesday.

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ryan Murphy wins bronze at Tokyo Olympics in 100 men's backstroke