Northwestern Grad Matt Grevers Wins Gold Medal 100m Backstroke

After winning silver in Beijing, Matt Grevers has his first career individual gold medal, taking the 100m backstroke - and setting an Olympic record to boot. USA! USA!

Grevers got off to a good start, but trailed France's Camille Lacourt by .05 seconds after 50 meters. That, it turns out, was no worry: Grevers blew away the competition on the turn, finding himself clearly in the lead after the swimmers emerged from underwater, the section of the race which swimming non-experts such as myself refer to as "the underwater wiggly part". He built on that lead in the last 50, winning by half a body-length and although he didn't set a world record, he did break the Olympic record by finishing with 52.16. Nick Thoman finished second, because America is the best and everybody else sucks.

Grevers can enjoy his victory for a few days - he's back in the pool later in the week in the 4x100 team medley, doing the backstroke. (Which he just won.) He'll probably get some nice press considering Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte haven't won eight medals a piece yet, so go Northwestern!