Barry Murphy (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
Barry MurphyBarry Murphy (born October 5, 1982 is an Irish swimmer from Dublin, Ireland. Despite his setting of the 50 m and 100 m freestyle national records in 2008, Murphy just missed qualifying for Ireland's team
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
Murphy was educated at Belvedere College
, Dublin, he is a member of Aer Lingus Swimming Club(ALS). In September 2005, Murphy began attending, and competing for, the USA's University of Tennessee
; the 2008–09 school year marked his senior year of swimming for the Tennessee Volunteers
.
record in a time of 48.97 and also the 100 m individual medley record in a time of 55.88 seconds. One week later at the 2006 European Championships
in Budapest, he broke both the 50 m freestyle record in a time of 22.63 and also Earl McCarthy's 10-year old record in 100 m freestyle in a time of 50.79.
He also holds a number of Irish junior records including 50 m breaststroke.
At the 2008 European Short Course Championships
Murphy broke four Irish records, cutting 0.75 off his own 50 m freestyle record in 21.71, the old time was 22.46. In the semi-final he lowered his record once again to 21.53. He also broke Andrew Bree
's 100 meter breaststroke record in a time of 59.51; the previous record stood at 59.98. His 50 m split of 27.57 was also a national record.
Murphy also finished 4th in the 50 m breaststroke at the same 2008 European SC Championships in a new national record of 26.73, just 0.07 outside the medals.
Murphy also broke his own national records in the 100 m freestyle and 100 m individual medley recording 48.69 & 55.34 respectively.
Men's record in the 50 yd freestyle with a 19.14.
He also tied the 100m breaststroke Irish record. The record was set in 2008 at the Beijing Games by Murphy's good friend and Tennessee Teammate Andrew Bree. Both men now hold the record at 1:01.76.
Murphy had the swim of his life in the heats of the men's 50m breaststroke. He set a new World Championship record and Irish record with a time of 27.26. This time qualified him for the Semi-final of the 50m breaststroke. In doing so, Murphy became the first Irishman to achieve this feat. In the semi final, Murphy swam a 27.38, just .12 off making the final.
Murphy's final individual swim of the meet was the 50m freestyle. He set a new Irish record of 22.14 and finished 19th. He missed the semis by 3 spot was just .15 outside the top 16.
Murphy was also a member of the 4x100 medley relay that set Irish records. His split of 60.6 on the breaststroke leg was the fastest in Irish History.
The 50 breaststroke was next. Murphy progressed through the heats, semis and final in a 28.08, 27.60 and 27.99. This was the first time an Irishman has qualified for a sprint final in a European Championship. The semi final time of 27.60 was ranked 6th in world at the time, and this was also the highest an Irishman had been ranked for many years.
This time is within the qualification period and qualifying time for the London 2012 Olympics. This makes Barry the first Irish male to qualify for London, and possibly the first swimmer in the World too.
Ireland at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Ireland competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China. It was the 19th Summer Games that Ireland has contested as a nation under the Olympic Council of Ireland.-Medalists:- Athletics:...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Murphy was educated at Belvedere College
Belvedere College
Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
, Dublin, he is a member of Aer Lingus Swimming Club(ALS). In September 2005, Murphy began attending, and competing for, the USA's University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
; the 2008–09 school year marked his senior year of swimming for the Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
.
European Championships, Budapest 2006
At the 2006 Irish Open Short Course Championships, Murphy broke the Irish record in the 100 m freestyleFreestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
record in a time of 48.97 and also the 100 m individual medley record in a time of 55.88 seconds. One week later at the 2006 European Championships
2006 European Championships in Aquatics
The 2006 European Swimming Championships were held in Budapest, Hungary, from 26 July – 6 August 2006. Disciplines include swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and open water swimming...
in Budapest, he broke both the 50 m freestyle record in a time of 22.63 and also Earl McCarthy's 10-year old record in 100 m freestyle in a time of 50.79.
He also holds a number of Irish junior records including 50 m breaststroke.
European SC Championships, Rijeka 2008
He broke the Irish senior record for the 50 m breaststroke in a time of 28.37 which qualified him for the semi-finals, where he finished 16th.At the 2008 European Short Course Championships
European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008
The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008 took place in Rijeka, Croatia from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 December 2008.-Medal table:-Medal summary:Legend:* WR = World record* ER = European record* CR = Championships record...
Murphy broke four Irish records, cutting 0.75 off his own 50 m freestyle record in 21.71, the old time was 22.46. In the semi-final he lowered his record once again to 21.53. He also broke Andrew Bree
Andrew Bree
Andrew Patrick Bree is a breaststroke swimmer from Helen's Bay, Co. Down Northern Ireland. He is a 2-time Irish Olympian, having swum at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics....
's 100 meter breaststroke record in a time of 59.51; the previous record stood at 59.98. His 50 m split of 27.57 was also a national record.
Murphy also finished 4th in the 50 m breaststroke at the same 2008 European SC Championships in a new national record of 26.73, just 0.07 outside the medals.
Murphy also broke his own national records in the 100 m freestyle and 100 m individual medley recording 48.69 & 55.34 respectively.
NCAA Championships, College Station, TX 2009
Murphy set a new University of TennesseeTennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
Men's record in the 50 yd freestyle with a 19.14.
World Championships, Rome 2009
Murphy swam the meet of his life at the World Swimming Championships in Rome, 2009. He became the first Irishman to swim a sub 50 second 100m freestyle, leading off the Irish 4x100m freestyle relay with a 49.95. Later in the meet he lowered his record again with a 49.76. The relay also set the Irish record.He also tied the 100m breaststroke Irish record. The record was set in 2008 at the Beijing Games by Murphy's good friend and Tennessee Teammate Andrew Bree. Both men now hold the record at 1:01.76.
Murphy had the swim of his life in the heats of the men's 50m breaststroke. He set a new World Championship record and Irish record with a time of 27.26. This time qualified him for the Semi-final of the 50m breaststroke. In doing so, Murphy became the first Irishman to achieve this feat. In the semi final, Murphy swam a 27.38, just .12 off making the final.
Murphy's final individual swim of the meet was the 50m freestyle. He set a new Irish record of 22.14 and finished 19th. He missed the semis by 3 spot was just .15 outside the top 16.
Murphy was also a member of the 4x100 medley relay that set Irish records. His split of 60.6 on the breaststroke leg was the fastest in Irish History.
Club Wolverine International Elite Team
After year in which he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee, Barry Murphy moved to Ann Arbor, to train under world renowned sprint coach Mike Bottom and swim for the prestigious Club Wolverine. Murphy trains as a part of the International Elite Team. This is a group of international swimmers dedicated to better themselves, the community and the sport by training, promoting and evolving the sport.European Championships, Budapest, 2010
After just 7 weeks under Coach Bottom, Murphy traveled to the European Swimming Championships in Budapest. The 100 breaststroke Murphy swam to a textile suit best of 1:02.43.The 50 breaststroke was next. Murphy progressed through the heats, semis and final in a 28.08, 27.60 and 27.99. This was the first time an Irishman has qualified for a sprint final in a European Championship. The semi final time of 27.60 was ranked 6th in world at the time, and this was also the highest an Irishman had been ranked for many years.
Indianapolis, USA, 2011
Murphy won the gold medal at the 100m breaststroke final at the Indianapolis Grand Prix on 3 March 2011. His time of 1:00.77 was an Irish senior record.This time is within the qualification period and qualifying time for the London 2012 Olympics. This makes Barry the first Irish male to qualify for London, and possibly the first swimmer in the World too.