Mystic Valley swimmer Liam Murphy wins six gold medals at Junior Olympics

Move over Michael Phelps, a soon-to-be Mystic Valley sixth-grader is quickly gaining on you.

Medford native and Mystic Valley swimmer Liam Murphy is making serious waves in national waters. The 10-year-old scored six individual gold medals at the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa, last week.

It marked a significant improvement from a year ago, when he garnered eight medals in Houston, with his highest being a silver in the 100 backstroke.

“This feels really good,” said Murphy. “My goal was to win [just one] gold medal.”

He certainly went above and beyond in that department.

The 4-foot-11, 76-pounder dove headfirst into the competition, winning six gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 50 and 100 backstroke, and 50 and 100 butterfly. The week-long competition ran July 28 to Aug. 2 at the Wellmark YMCA Natatorium.

A versatile aquatic athlete, Murphy also played a key cog in Team New England’s boys 12 & under relay squad taking third in the 200 free and fourth in the 200 medley. His heroics helped Team New England clinch a pair of meet titles in both the boys and girls divisions.

Known as a backstroke specialist, the youngster feels his key to success is staying in perpetual motion.  

“It’s all about moving your arms and legs fast and pulling the water,” said Murphy.

Swimming competitively since he was seven, Murphy has made amazing strides over the last three years.

This year he took it to an entirely new level, winning six gold medals at the 2026 Bay State Games last month. Swimming in the boys 10 & under division, Murphy was all business securing top honors in the same six events, the 50 and 100 freestyle, 50 and 100 backstroke, and 50 and 100 butterfly.

That wave of momentum gave the young swimmer the added lift he needed heading to Iowa.

“It just made me feel ready and made me believe in myself,” said Murphy, who has been inspired by Olympic swimmers such as Ryan Murphy, Chris Guiliano, Caleb Dressel, and Phelps. “My coaches have also been really great. They push me at practice.”

According to Mystic Valley coach Michael Leung, Murphy is making his mark in the pool.

“Liam has carried that momentum since the end of June and kept pushing himself forward,” said Leung. “He motivated himself to just swim harder. When he came to Nationals, he knew what he needed to do and what to expect.”

Murphy’s tireless attitude in the pool is unmatched, particularly for a swimmer his age. He may have inherited his talent from his mom’s side of the family. His 78-year-old grandmother still swims every day. His uncle and aunt are also both swimmers following a strong bloodline in the pool.

Whatever the case, Murphy continues to make a splash.

“He’s a hard worker,” said Leung.  “He pushes himself, pushes his teammates, and shows up for practice every day. During our spring, summer, fall and winter season, he was almost at a 90-percent attendance rate. That goes to show his work ethic and his willingness to improve at every practice.”

A former Mystic Valley swimmer himself, Leung feels Murphy’s performance also bodes well for the program overall.

“We’re a swimming school,” said Leung. “It’s in our blood to be good swimmers, and Liam really embodies what it means to be a Mystic Valley swimmer.”