Team USA swimmer Ryan Murphy was in for quite the surprise after racing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
While cheering on Murphy, 29, his wife, Bridget Konttinen, held up a sign revealing the sex of their first baby. Konttinen was beaming as she held the sign above her head, which read, “Ryan, it’s a girl!”
Murphy took home his seventh Olympic medal on Monday. He earned third place in the 100-meter backstroke race, edging out Greece’s Apostolos Christou by 0.2 seconds.
Murphy holds the world record for the event, which he set during the 2016 Rio Olympics. He took home bronze in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Murphy noted that his wife has helped him keep things in perspective.
“When you have to analyze swimming things at such a granular level and really be a perfectionist, it’s easy to turn that perfectionism in on yourself and start analyzing your own personality characteristics and stuff like that. Having her gives me a lot of great balance in my life,” he told Olympics.com earlier this month. “She’s someone who could say, ‘Hey, Ryan, you’re going a little bit too hard at this, like, you can be a little bit softer on yourself today.’ She’s great for me and helps me keep a level head on things.”
Konttinen has frequently taken to social media to gush over her husband. After Murphy made the Olympic team in June, she celebrated his success.
“THIRD Olympic Games locked in🇺🇸,” she wrote via Instagram in June. “This man blows me away. Consistently reaching this stage over 12 years – it’s hard to comprehend what that takes mentally and physically. He makes it look effortless when it’s really hours of unseen work, an unshakable mindset under pressure and a strategic intellect that honestly scares me sometimes😅.”
She continued, “I’m so grateful to be by your side through all of it. So in awe of you @ryan_f_murphy . NEXT STOP PARIS❤️🤍💙.”
Murphy and Konttinen exchanged vows in September 2023. While reflecting on his year in December 2023, Murphy gave a sweet shout-out to his wife.
“2023 was an incredible year. I’m proud of the accomplishments achieved in the pool, with the support of @calmenswim coaches and teammates,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “The highlight of my year was marrying @bk_murphy_ . I love you now and forever.”
He continued, “I can’t wait for 2024. I have huge goals for myself in and out of the pool. I will be opening @goldfish_saintjohns by mid-2024 with my parents. I won’t tell you my swim goals yet 🤓.”
