In less than 24 hours, the 2024 Olympic Swimming Trials will light up Lucas Oil Stadium, and all eyes await to see six-time Olympic medalist Ryan Murphy. His journey began with a splash in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, clinching gold in both the men’s 100m and 200m backstroke events. Fast forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where Murphy played a crucial role in Team USA’s triumph in the men’s 4x100m medley relay, setting a blazing new world record.

This summer, Murphy gears up for his third Olympic appearance, bolstered by his biggest cheerleader and loving wife, Bridget Konttinen. Their journey together hit a high note last September when they tied the knot. In the same month, Murphy secured his spot in the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials. As the excitement builds and anticipation mounts for Murphy’s dominance in the backstroke events, let’s take a closer look at the dynamic of this swimming power couple.

All about Ryan Murphy’s college sweetheart, who became his wife

According to PEOPLE, Ryan Murphy and Bridget Konttinen first met as student-athletes at the University of California, Berkeley, where Murphy earned the prestigious title of PAC 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for three consecutive years, while Konttinen excelled in rowing for the Golden Bears, winning national championships.

Their romantic journey began in November 2016 and reached a new milestone in May 2022 when they got engaged. They celebrated their love with a picturesque ceremony on September 30 at Lake Tahoe, a place close to Konttinen’s heart due to her skiing roots and Finnish heritage.

Reflecting on their journey, Murphy shared, “I feel like in a lot of ways, we’ve grown up together in our relationship. We’ve been together for seven years now. And when I think about Bridget, there’s so much to her and I think that’s always been really appealing to me.“ As we reflect on these wholesome words, how has she inspired his Olympic journey?

Bridget Konttinen helps the olympian excel in the sport

As he gears up for the Paris Olympics, Ryan Murphy shared with PEOPLE just how crucial his wife’s support has been. He said, “She’s been a huge part of my success over the past couple of years. I think she’s someone who definitely gets me just motivated about life. She’s super optimistic, and I think that’s just been really helpful for me in terms of my approach to the sport.” 

Looking ahead to the Olympics in Paris, Murphy mentioned that Bridget Konttinen would be joining him in the city of love to cheer him on. He confirmed, with a touch of humor, that she would be there, highlighting their shared anticipation. He mentioned they had already booked an Airbnb, adding that hopefully he would perform well and they could keep that Airbnb.

This emphasized the excitement surrounding their journey together. As fans eagerly await to see how his training pays off and whether he secures his ticket to Paris to maintain the Airbnb and bring home more gold for Team USA, what are your thoughts on the dynamic duo of Ryan Murphy and Bridget Konttinen? Share your thoughts below!