Ryan Murphy Comeback: 25.1 50 Back & 53.9 100 Back — Can He Make the 2028 Olympics? 🔥 Night Swim
6/11/20269 min
Ryan Murphy is officially back in the pool and the swimming world is watching closely.
At the Sacramento Pro Swim Series (a lower-key meet while many stars were in Fort Lauderdale), the Olympic champion posted:
- 25.1 in the 50 backstroke → 1st place
- 53.9 in the 100 backstroke → 2nd place
Dax and Elvis break it down raw:
- Is this the start of an Anthony Ervin-style comeback story, or will the young guns make it nearly impossible?
- Concerns about Murphy’s added muscle mass — “he’s too big” and how that impacts speed and drag
- Training speculation: Is he doing low-yardage/high-intensity like Cam McEvoy? ASP Aquatic Sports Performance style? Or sticking to traditional college yards-based training?
- The physical toll of time off and whether he can stay lean enough to hit elite times again
- Honest odds for making the 2028 Olympic team in a stacked backstroke field
Plus they reference historical context: veterans coming back, the brutal reality of the Olympics, and what Murphy needs to do differently if he wants to medal again in LA.
This is pure, unfiltered analysis from two swimmers who know what it takes. No sugarcoating.
Do you think Ryan Murphy can make the 2028 Olympic team? Drop your prediction and reasoning in the comments 👇
🌙 Night Swim PodcastWhen the pool lights go out, the real talk begins. Hosted by Dax Hill (NCAA champ, Texas Longhorns legend, high-performance technique guru @Reykli) and Elvis Burrows (Bahamian Olympian, national record holder, founder of Burrow's Best swimmer hair and skin care), Night Swim is unfiltered swim culture — NCAA battles, Olympic tea, training hacks, and pool-deck chaos. No scripts. No PR. Just two Black swimmers who’ve seen it all, saying what everyone else whispers.New episodes weekly. Grab your goggles, hit subscribe, and dive in.🎙️ Presented by Swimnerd. #NightSwimPod #Swimming
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsElvis Burrows· Host0:00
All right, moving on. We've got Murph Dog, the muscle- Ryan Murphy ... himself coming, making a comeback, you know, a little small meet, Anthony Ervin style. I remember when Anthony went in like 1999 and everyone was like, "Oh, he's not making a comeback," and then, you know, gold medal later. But, um, yeah, yeah. I mean, the times were good, right? I believe you said he was 25- 25.1. Yeah. I'm gonna let you... I'm m- m- maybe just let you take it so I don't steal your thunder. Go ahead.
Dax Hill· Host0:34
No, my thunder? This is backstroke. I don't know what- Yeah, but I have no idea what's going on. Yeah. So Ryan Murphy back in the pool at the Sacramento Gr- Damn, dog, you are glowing.
Elvis Burrows· Host0:47
I'm sorry. I just gotta say that, man.
Dax Hill· Host0:50
Maybe I'm pregnant. Who knows? Uh- Keep going ... yeah. So Ryan Murphy returned to the Sacramento Meet, uh, Pro Series, Pro Swim. Um, 25.1 in the 50 backstroke, he won that one, and a 53.9 100, he came second. You know, said it was a good s- he, he says it's a good start, a good place to build off of. So I mean, the meet, the meet wasn't, you know, power packed. A lot of the heavy hitters went to Fort Lauderdale,

