Cal at the Olympics: Swimmer Ryan Murphy Advances in 100 Backstroke

He is one of several Golden Bears swimmers who qualified for the next round

Reigning Olympic champion and former Cal star Ryan Murphy began his bid for gold by advancing to the semifinals of the 100 backstroke with the seventh-fastest qualifying time Sunday.

Ryan finished tied for second in his heat, .09 seconds behind the heat winner, Yohann Ndoye-Brouard of France.

Murphy is also competing in the 200 backstroke, with the first heats in that event later in the week.

--Updates on other Cal athletes competing in the Olympics will be provided here--

Hugo Gonzalez, an All-American this year at Cal, also advanced in the 100 backstroke, finishing fifth in his heat but with a time of 53.45. That made him the ninth-fastest qualifier and the best 16 times advanced to the semifinals.

A third Golden Bear, Zheng Wen Quah of Singapore, finished third in his heat, but his time of 53.94 placed him 22^nd and he did not advance.

Incoming Cal freshman Robin Hanson, who is representing Sweden, finished seventh in his heat of the 200 freestyle and was not among the 16 swimmers who advanced to the semifinals in that event.

Among the Cal women who swam heats Sunday, Stephanie Au, representing Hong Kong, fourth in here heat of the 100 backstroke, but that only placed 26^th overall so she did not advance.

Cal senior Ema Rajic, swimming for Croatia, finished fourth in her heat of the 100 breaststroke, but that was not good enough to advance.

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Cover photo of Ryan Murphy is by Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports

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