PARIS, France — Four-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy secured a spot in the men's 100-meter backstroke finals at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
Murphy, who attended The Bolles School in Jacksonville, placed fourth in the first of the two semifinal races in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 52.72.
The top three finishers from each semifinal qualified for the final along with the next two fastest times.
Thanks to a slower second semifinal, Murphy qualified for the finals based on his time, which was the fifth-best.
Fellow American Hunter Armstrong placed fifth in the second semifinal with a time of 52.95 but fell short of qualifying for a spot in the finals, placing 11th overall.
Murphy holds the Olympic Record in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 51.85 he swam at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
He is looking to make Olympic history, becoming the first male swimmer to win medals in three consecutive games in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke.
Murphy will vie for a medal in the 100-meter backstroke final set for Monday at 3:19 p.m. ET on NBC 25.