Matt Grevers leaves the world championships with a 100m backstroke silver medal, one year after failing to make the Olympic team.
Ryan Murphy snagged bronze, one year after bagging Olympic gold. But at least Murphy still has his world record.
China’s Xu Jiayu, who in April swam one hundredth shy of Murphy’s 100m backstroke mark, won the world title in a much slower time on Tuesday.
Xu, 21 and the Rio silver medalist, clocked 52.44 to prevail in Budapest. He edged a charging 32-year-old Grevers by .04 and Murphy by .