Men's 200m Backstroke

Ryan Murphy (USA)

Ryan Murphy won a gold medal in the men's 200m backstroke at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Since then, Murphy has claimed silver in this event at the world aquatics championships in 2017 and 2019, and at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. All three of those silvers were behind gold medal winner Evgeniy Rylov (RUS/ROC).

Only Markus Rogan (AUT, G0-S2-B1) has claimed more than two medals in the men's 200m backstroke at the world aquatics championships without ever winning gold.

Murphy won the men's 200m backstroke at the US trials in 1:55.01, the fastest time in this event by any swimmer in 2022. It is 1.44 seconds off his personal best.

United States has won 10 gold medals in the men's 200m backstroke at the world aquatics championships, two more than all other countries combined (8). The most recent world title in this event by a swimmer representing USA was Ryan Lochte in 2013.

United States can fail to win the men's 200m backstroke at four consecutive world aquatics championships for the first time. There was also a run of three from 1986 to 1994.


Other contenders

Mitch Larkin (AUS) competes in his sixth world aquatics championships. His tally of three world titles includes gold in the men's 200m backstroke in 2015.

Luke Greenbank (GBR) took bronze in the men's 200m backstroke at the world aquatics championships in 2019 and at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Only United States (21) and Russia (4) have won as many medals in the men's 200m backstroke at the world aquatics championships as Hungary (4). The most recent of those four Hungarian medals was silver for Sándor Wladár in 1982. Adám Telegdy (HUN) was fifth in this event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Mewen Tomac (FRA) can become the second male swimmer representing France to claim a medal in the 200m backstroke at the world aquatics championships, after Simon Dufour took bronze in 2003.

Men's 200m Breaststroke

Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS)

Zac Stubblety-Cook became the first man to swim the 200m breaststroke within two minutes and six seconds as he set a world record of 2:05.95 during the Australian national championships in May 2022.

At the world aquatics championships in 2019, the men's 200m breaststroke was one of two men's events in which the gold medal was claimed in a world record time, alongside the men's 200m butterfly. At Gwangju 2019, Anton Chupkov (RUS) won the men's 200m breaststroke in 2:06.12.

Stubblety-Cook can hand Australia its first gold medal in the men's 200m breaststroke at the world aquatics championships.


Other contenders

Arno Kamminga (NED) can become the first man representing Netherlands to win an individual medal at the world aquatics championships since Pieter van den Hoogenband in 2007 (silver in 200m freestyle).

Kamminga claimed silver in the men's 200m breaststroke in each of his past four major tournaments: the 2020 European championships long course, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the 2021 European championships short course and the 2021 world championships short course.

Matti Mattsson (FIN) took bronze in this event at the world aquatics championships in 2013. He is one of two Finnish swimmers to claim a medal at the world aquatics championships in this century, alongside Hanna-Maria Seppälä who won the women's 100m freestyle in 2003.

Mattsson can become the third Finnish swimmer on multiple medals at the world aquatics championships, after Antti Kasvio (G1-S1-B0) and Jani Sievinen (G1-S1-B0).

This century, Japan has collected eight medals in the men's 200m breaststroke at the world aquatics championships, at least three more than any other country (United States next on 5).

Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay

Great Britain

Great Britain won the men's 4x200m freestyle relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Great Britain had not won Olympic gold in this event since 1908, when this relay event made its debut on the Olympic programme.

Great Britain's Thomas Dean, James Guy, Matthew Richards and Duncan Scott were over three seconds faster than runner-up ROC in the final (6:58:58 versus 7:01:81).

Great Britain can claim its third victory in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the world aquatics championships, after 2015 and 2017. Only USA (8) and Australia (4) won this event more than twice.


United States

USA grabbed a medal in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay at each of the last 10 world aquatics championships (G5-S2-B3), following its fifth-place result in 1998.

USA holds the record for most wins (8) and most medals (15) in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay at the world aquatics championships. Australia is next up in terms of victories and medals (G4-S2-B3).

Ryan Lochte (USA, G5-S1-B0) holds the record for most medals won in this event at the world aquatics championships. Michael Phelps (USA) and Grant Hackett (AUS) follow on five medals.

USA has not won this event at the world aquatics championships since 2013. They finished second, third and third since.

USA (4th) finished outside the medals in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. USA had won an Olympic medal in this specific event in all previous 24 participations (G17-S5-B2).


Other contenders

Australia is the defending champion in this event at the world aquatics championships. Australia won ahead of Russia and United States in 2019.

Australia had won this event three times before at the world aquatics championships (1998, 2001, 2003).

Italy has claimed two medals in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay at the world aquatics championships: bronze at Perth 1991 and silver at Fukuoka 2001.

Brazil could win a medal for the first time in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay.