| | Event type
200 metres Backstroke, Men
| Date | 28 – 30 July 2021 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympic Aquatics Centre, 2-1, 2chome, Tatsumi, Koto-ku, Tatsumi-no-Mori Seaside Park, Tokyo, Japan |
| Participants | 29 from 23 countries |
Ryan Murphy, who had won both backstroke events at Rio in 2016, was back and he had won silver at the 2019 World Championships, but behind Russia’s Yevgeny Rylov, who had already won the 100 backstroke in Tokyo. The fastest qualifier in the preliminary round was Britain’s Luke Greenbank, while Rylov led the semi-finals with Greenbank second, Murphy qualifying for the final in third place.
In the final those three were in the medal positions throughout, as Rylov led from the start, eventually taking the gold medal in an Olympic record 1:53.27, ahead of Tyler Clary’s mark from London in 2012 – 1:53.41. Murphy was almost a full second back in second place, while Greenbank comfortably won the bronze medal, as the podium was exactly the same as it had been at the 2019 Worlds.
| Pos | Swimmer | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yevgeny Rylov |  ROC | 1:56.02 (1 h4) | 1:54.45 (1 h1) | 1:53.27 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | Ryan Murphy |  USA | 1:56.92 (1 h3) | 1:55.38 (2 h2) | 1:54.15 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | Luke Greenbank |  GBR | 1:54.63 (1 h2) | 1:54.98 (1 h2) | 1:54.72 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | Bryce Mefford | USA | 1:56.37 (2 h4) | 1:56.37 (4 h2) | 1:55.49 (4) | |||
| 5 | Ádám Telegdy |  HUN | 1:57.70 (5 h2) | 1:56.19 (2 h1) | 1:56.15 (5) | |||
| 6 | Radosław Kawęcki |  POL | 1:56.83 (3 h2) | 1:56.68 (3 h1) | 1:56.39 (6) | |||
| 7 | Ryosuke Irie |  JPN | 1:56.97 (4 h2) | 1:56.69 (4 h1) | 1:57.32 (7) | |||
| 8 | Nicolás García |  ESP | 1:57.62 (6 h4) | 1:56.35 (3 h2) | 1:59.06 (8) | |||
| 9 | Yohann N'Doye Brouard |  FRA | 1:57.96 (4 h3) | 1:56.83 (5 h1) | – | |||
| 10 | Tristan Hollard |  AUS | 1:57.24 (4 h4) | 1:56.92 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 11 | Lee Ju-Ho |  KOR | 1:56.77 (2 h2) | 1:56.93 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 12 | Grigory Tarasevich | ROC | 1:56.82 (1 h1) | 1:57.06 (5 h2) | – | |||
| 13 | Roman Mityukov |  SUI | 1:57.45 (2 h3) | 1:57.07 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 14 | Keita Sunama | JPN | 1:57.07 (3 h4) | 1:57.16 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 15 | Brodie Williams | GBR | 1:57.48 (5 h4) | 1:57.73 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 16 | Markus Thormeyer |  CAN | 1:57.85 (6 h2) | 1:59.36 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 17 | Xu Jiayu |  CHN | 1:57.76 (3 h3) | – | – | |||
| 18 | Jan Čejka |  CZE | 1:58.02 (7 h4) | – | – | |||
| 19 | Christian Diener |  GER | 1:58.27 (8 h4) | – | – | |||
| 20 | Matteo Restivo |  ITA | 1:58.36 (5 h3) | – | – | |||
| 21 | Martin Binedell |  RSA | 1:58.47 (2 h1) | – | – | |||
| 22 | Francisco Santos |  POR | 1:58.58 (6 h3) | – | – | |||
| 23 | Berke Saka |  TUR | 1:58.66 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 24 | Kaloyan Levterov |  BUL | 1:58.96 (8 h2) | – | – | |||
| 25 | Mewen Tomac | FRA | 1:59.02 (7 h3) | – | – | |||
| 26 | Robert Glință |  ROU | 1:59.18 (3 h1) | – | – | |||
| 27 | Jakub Skierka | POL | 1:59.30 (8 h3) | – | – | |||
| 28 | Yakov Toumarkin |  ISR | 1:59.65 (4 h1) | – | – | |||
| 29 | Merdan Ataýew |  TKM | 2:03.68 (5 h1) | – | – |
Round One (28 July 2021 — 19:21)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Luke Greenbank | GBR | 1:54.63 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Yevgeny Rylov | ROC | 1:56.02 | ||
| 3 | 5 | Bryce Mefford | USA | 1:56.37 | ||
| 4 | 1 | Lee Ju-Ho | KOR | 1:56.77 | ||
| 5 | 4 | Grigory Tarasevich | ROC | 1:56.82 | ||
| 6 | 6 | Radosław Kawęcki | POL | 1:56.83 | ||
| 7 | 4 | Ryan Murphy | USA | 1:56.92 | ||
| 8 | 5 | Ryosuke Irie | JPN | 1:56.97 | ||
| 9 | 3 | Keita Sunama | JPN | 1:57.07 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Tristan Hollard | AUS | 1:57.24 | ||
| 11 | 6 | Roman Mityukov | SUI | 1:57.45 | ||
| 12 | 6 | Brodie Williams | GBR | 1:57.48 | ||
| 13 | 8 | Nicolás García | ESP | 1:57.62 | ||
| 14 | 3 | Ádám Telegdy | HUN | 1:57.70 | ||
| 15 | 5 | Xu Jiayu | CHN | 1:57.76 | ||
| 16 | 7 | Markus Thormeyer | CAN | 1:57.85 | ||
| 17 | 3 | Yohann N'Doye Brouard | FRA | 1:57.96 | ||
| 18 | 7 | Jan Čejka | CZE | 1:58.02 | ||
| 19 | 1 | Christian Diener | GER | 1:58.27 | ||
| 20 | 2 | Matteo Restivo | ITA | 1:58.36 | ||
| 21 | 5 | Martin Binedell | RSA | 1:58.47 | ||
| 22 | 1 | Francisco Santos | POR | 1:58.58 | ||
| 23 | 8 | Berke Saka | TUR | 1:58.66 | ||
| 24 | 2 | Kaloyan Levterov | BUL | 1:58.96 | ||
| 25 | 7 | Mewen Tomac | FRA | 1:59.02 | ||
| 26 | 6 | Robert Glință | ROU | 1:59.18 | ||
| 27 | 8 | Jakub Skierka | POL | 1:59.30 | ||
| 28 | 3 | Yakov Toumarkin | ISR | 1:59.65 | ||
| 29 | 2 | Merdan Ataýew | TKM | 2:03.68 |
Heat One (19:21)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Grigory Tarasevich | ROC | 1:56.82 | 0.55 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Martin Binedell | RSA | 1:58.47 | 0.68 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Robert Glință | ROU | 1:59.18 | 0.59 | |||
| 4 | 3 | Yakov Toumarkin | ISR | 1:59.65 | 0.63 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Merdan Ataýew | TKM | 2:03.68 | 0.64 |
Heat Two (19:27)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Luke Greenbank | GBR | 1:54.63 | 0.58 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Lee Ju-Ho | KOR | 1:56.77 | 0.55 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Radosław Kawęcki | POL | 1:56.83 | 0.59 | |||
| 4 | 5 | Ryosuke Irie | JPN | 1:56.97 | 0.52 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Ádám Telegdy | HUN | 1:57.70 | 0.65 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Markus Thormeyer | CAN | 1:57.85 | 0.66 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Berke Saka | TUR | 1:58.66 | 0.61 | |||
| 8 | 2 | Kaloyan Levterov | BUL | 1:58.96 | 0.50 |
Heat Three (19:33)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Ryan Murphy | USA | 1:56.92 | 0.52 | |||
| 2 | 6 | Roman Mityukov | SUI | 1:57.45 | 0.52 | |||
| 3 | 5 | Xu Jiayu | CHN | 1:57.76 | 0.55 | |||
| 4 | 3 | Yohann N'Doye Brouard | FRA | 1:57.96 | 0.53 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Matteo Restivo | ITA | 1:58.36 | 0.59 | |||
| 6 | 1 | Francisco Santos | POR | 1:58.58 | 0.62 | |||
| 7 | 7 | Mewen Tomac | FRA | 1:59.02 | 0.62 | |||
| 8 | 8 | Jakub Skierka | POL | 1:59.30 | 0.62 |
Heat Four (19:39)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Yevgeny Rylov | ROC | 1:56.02 | 0.55 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Bryce Mefford | USA | 1:56.37 | 0.56 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Keita Sunama | JPN | 1:57.07 | 0.55 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Tristan Hollard | AUS | 1:57.24 | 0.58 | |||
| 5 | 6 | Brodie Williams | GBR | 1:57.48 | 0.59 | |||
| 6 | 8 | Nicolás García | ESP | 1:57.62 | 0.60 | |||
| 7 | 7 | Jan Čejka | CZE | 1:58.02 | 0.57 | |||
| 8 | 1 | Christian Diener | GER | 1:58.27 | 0.60 |
Semi-Finals (29 July 2021 — 11:04)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Yevgeny Rylov | ROC | 1:54.45 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Luke Greenbank | GBR | 1:54.98 | ||
| 3 | 6 | Ryan Murphy | USA | 1:55.38 | ||
| 4 | 1 | Ádám Telegdy | HUN | 1:56.19 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Nicolás García | ESP | 1:56.35 | ||
| 6 | 5 | Bryce Mefford | USA | 1:56.37 | ||
| 7 | 3 | Radosław Kawęcki | POL | 1:56.68 | ||
| 8 | 6 | Ryosuke Irie | JPN | 1:56.69 | ||
| 9 | 8 | Yohann N'Doye Brouard | FRA | 1:56.83 | ||
| 10 | 2 | Tristan Hollard | AUS | 1:56.92 | ||
| 11 | 5 | Lee Ju-Ho | KOR | 1:56.93 | ||
| 12 | 3 | Grigory Tarasevich | ROC | 1:57.06 | ||
| 13 | 7 | Roman Mityukov | SUI | 1:57.07 | ||
| 14 | 2 | Keita Sunama | JPN | 1:57.16 | ||
| 15 | 7 | Brodie Williams | GBR | 1:57.73 | ||
| 16 | 8 | Markus Thormeyer | CAN | 1:59.36 |
Heat One (11:04)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Yevgeny Rylov | ROC | 1:54.45 | 0.55 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Ádám Telegdy | HUN | 1:56.19 | 0.64 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Radosław Kawęcki | POL | 1:56.68 | 0.62 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Ryosuke Irie | JPN | 1:56.69 | 0.52 | |||
| 5 | 8 | Yohann N'Doye Brouard | FRA | 1:56.83 | 0.56 | |||
| 6 | 2 | Tristan Hollard | AUS | 1:56.92 | 0.57 | |||
| 7 | 5 | Lee Ju-Ho | KOR | 1:56.93 | 0.53 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Brodie Williams | GBR | 1:57.73 | 0.59 |
Heat Two (11:11)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Luke Greenbank | GBR | 1:54.98 | 0.57 | |||
| 2 | 6 | Ryan Murphy | USA | 1:55.38 | 0.53 | |||
| 3 | 1 | Nicolás García | ESP | 1:56.35 | 0.60 | |||
| 4 | 5 | Bryce Mefford | USA | 1:56.37 | 0.57 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Grigory Tarasevich | ROC | 1:57.06 | 0.56 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Roman Mityukov | SUI | 1:57.07 | 0.52 | |||
| 7 | 2 | Keita Sunama | JPN | 1:57.16 | 0.55 | |||
| 8 | 8 | Markus Thormeyer | CAN | 1:59.36 | 0.66 |
Final (30 July 2021 — 10:50)
| Pos | Lane | Swimmer | NOC | Time | Reaction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Yevgeny Rylov | ROC | 1:53.27 | 0.54 | |||
| 2 | 3 | Ryan Murphy | USA | 1:54.15 | 0.54 | |||
| 3 | 5 | Luke Greenbank | GBR | 1:54.72 | 0.61 | |||
| 4 | 7 | Bryce Mefford | USA | 1:55.49 | 0.57 | |||
| 5 | 6 | Ádám Telegdy | HUN | 1:56.15 | 0.65 | |||
| 6 | 1 | Radosław Kawęcki | POL | 1:56.39 | 0.61 | |||
| 7 | 8 | Ryosuke Irie | JPN | 1:57.32 | 0.54 | |||
| 8 | 2 | Nicolás García | ESP | 1:59.06 | 0.63 |