OHIO — University of Akron alumnus Clayton Murphy won’t be bringing home an Olympic medal this time around from Tokyo, but he will be coming back to community full of pride.
Post-race reaction from his wife and fellow Olympian @ImJustAri. @Clayton_Murph won the bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Games and remains one of the fastest men in the world after his final race in Tokyo. @SpectrumNews1OH pic.twitter.com/JpVyGCk18s
— Micaela Marshall (@MMarshallTV) August 4, 2021
Around the first lap of the 800m final, Murphy sat in the middle of the nine runners total, having to push and shove tactically to get some space to run.
With an immense push around the second lap of the 800m final, Murphy, 26, drifted into last place. He attempted to go around the outside of the other runners, trying to get into medal position.
He crossed the finish line last with a time of 1:46.53 — the lowest time he’s had throughout the entire Tokyo Olympic experience, from the trials to the finals.
Kenya’s two runners came in first and second place. Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir finished with a time of 1:45.06, and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich had a time of 1:45.23.
Poland’s Patryk Dobek came in third with a finish of 1:45.39.
Murphy, a New Paris, Ohio native, won bronze in the same event at the Rio Games in 2016.
During the trials, Murphy came in first place. With just seconds left of the run, Murphy was in fifth place, but sprinted the last 40 meters, finishing with a time of 1:43.17 — the fastest time recorded so far this year.
Murphy came in second place during the semifinals Sunday with a time of 1:44.18 behind Peter Bol of Australia, who ran with a time of 1:44.11.
