Matt Grevers, Nick Thoman Finish 1-2 in 100-Meter Backstroke
Matt Grevers and Nick Thoman, who both have UA ties, took gold and silver medals during the London Games on July 30.

By Richard Paige, Arizona Athletics
July 30, 2012

Grevers.jpg

UA-affiliated athlete Matt Grevers won the final of the men's 100-meter backstroke on July 30 and former Wildcat Nick Thoman took the silver medal.
UA-affiliated athlete Matt Grevers won the final of the men's 100-meter backstroke on July 30 and former Wildcat Nick Thoman took the silver medal. (Photo courtesy of London 2012 Olympics)


Two Olympic athletes with University of Arizona ties have won gold and silver medals.

Tucson resident Matt Grevers took gold, and former Arizona All-American Nick Thoman won silver in the men’s 100-meter backstroke at the London Olympics on July 30.

Grevers, who broke an Olympic record with a time of 52.16 seconds, earned his fifth career Olympic medal. Grevers broke the previous Olympic record set by American Aaron Peirsol in 2008. Before Monday, he had two gold and one silver as a member of relays, including Sunday night's 4x100-meter freestyle relay, and a silver medal in the 100 backstroke from Beijing.

Grevers has trained at the UA's Hillenbrand Aquatic Center since 2008.

Thoman earned the silver medal after finishing with a time of 52.92. A five-time All-American at Arizona, Thoman was a part of UA’s 2006 National Championship winning 400-meter medley relay team.

Thoman’s effort means that UA athletes have won at least one medal in every Olympiad dating back to 1968.

Olympic competitions continue on July 31:

  • Men’s Swimming (Nilo-Oliveira/Shapira Bar-Or): 100-meter freestyle preliminaries, 2 a.m.
  • Men’s Swimming (Burkle): 200-meter breaststroke preliminaries, 2:47 a.m.
  • Men’s Swimming (Basson/Townsend): 4x200-meter freestyle relay preliminaries, 3:17 a.m.
  • Men’s Basketball (Javtokas): Lithuania vs. Nigeria, 6:30 a.m.
  • Women’s Soccer (Montoya): Colombia vs. France, 9 a.m.
  • Men’s Swimming (Nilo-Oliveira/Shapira Bar-Or): 100-meter freestyle semifinals, 11:30 a.m.
  • Men’s Swimming (Burkle): 200-meter breaststroke semifinals, 12:17 p.m.
  • Men’s Swimming (Basson/Townsend): 4x200-meter freestyle relay Olympic final, 12:47 p.m.
  • Men’s Basketball (Iguodala): United States vs. Tunisia, 2:15 p.m

Extra info

For complete results and continued coverage of Arizona swimming and diving, visit ArizonaWildcats.com.

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Richard Paige

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