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Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy talks Back 2 Back Swim Camp (Includes interview)

The Back 2 Back Swim Camp is a two-day elite swim camp that specializes in backstroke. It was founded by American Olympians Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley; moreover, the swim camp will take place from September 29 to 30, 2018 at the Rinconada Park Pool in Palo Alto, California. “Jacob and I wanted to spread our knowledge to a lot of different people. We want to challenge the kids with this camp. That is something that we really want to do. There is really nothing else like the Back 2 Back Swim Camp out there right now,” he said.

Speaking of Jacob Pebley, Murphy had nothing but the greatest remarks about him. “Jacob is great. We have been training side by side for five years now. I know Jacob’s swimming almost as well as my own. It is great that we can both give back together. I think that is very powerful,” Murphy said. “Jacob is a great guy, and anybody you ask will agree with that.”

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Murphy won three gold medals for Team USA. He won individually in the men’s 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke, and he was a part of the 4×100 meter medley relay race, which was Michael Phelps’ last competitive race in his career. “Those were incredible moments for me,” he admitted. “There is so much work and so many people that made a lot of sacrifices for me to get to that point. It was life-changing for me, and hopefully, I can repeat that at the Tokyo Olympics and perform just as well, if not better.”

In addition, Murphy holds the world record in the men’s 100 meter backstroke, which he set as part of the 4×100 meter medley relay race at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics. “I am so excited that I shared that milestone with Michael [Phelps]. He is one of my idols. He is every swimmer’s idol, and I really respected and looked up to him,” he said. “Being a part of his last race is something that I will never forget.”

Each day, Murphy is motivated by the big goals that he sets for himself. “Going into the pool every day and swimming next to somebody like Jacob helps a lot,” he said. “I am a super-competitive guy, and if somebody is pushing me, I want to catch up and win that effort.”

Murphy revealed that his favorite part of the sport is going to the big meets and competitions. “I thrive on that,” he said.

Regarding the key to longevity in swimming, Murphy acknowledged that a lot of it comes with mentality. “It is about staying motivated over a span of eight years. That’s a very hard thing to do,” he said. “Motivation is the biggest thing that contributes to longevity.”

This past March, world champion swimmer Michael Andrew interviewed Murphy for his YouTube channel. “Michael Andrew has been doing a great job in terms of promotion, and his vlog is doing awesome. It’s great that he is taking it upon himself to do something that he thinks will grow the sport,” Murphy said.

For young swimmers, Murphy’s advice is as follows: “Make sure you are keeping it fun.” “Swimming can be a fun sport, and race as much as possible. Practice whenever you can and stay active. Participate in a lot of sports, since it really helps. Swimming helped me out when I played soccer,” he said. “As you get older, you need to have goals and you need to sit down and figure out
what is going to take to reach your goals. Try to have something in your head every day that you can focus on. People are driven by improvement.”

“Thank you,” he told his fans. “The journey is just starting. I really appreciate what I have been able to do. It gives me an opportunity to share my lessons with other people. I love to learn from other people too, and I love interactions with others, and figuring out what they have been through. Hopefully, this is a long ride.”

Murphy defined the word success as “Reaching my potential as an athlete, person and as a friend in every single aspect of my life.” “I am always striving for perfection, so that is what success means to me,” he said.

Digital transformation of aquatics

On the impact of technology on aquatics, Murphy said, “It’s what you make it. We have the ability to look at film above water and beyond water, and figure out what your angles are. Honestly, I don’t watch video as often as some of the other guys on my team. I would watch my video once a month, and come away with three things I would want to work on, and check back at it later to see if I improved in those areas. I don’t want to overthink.”

To learn more about Olympians Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley’s Back 2 Back Swim Camp, check out its official website.

For more information on Olympic gold medalist and backstroke world record holder Ryan Murphy, follow him on Twitter, and on Instagram.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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