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Figure we could use a thread for this. This is the only time I ever get really "sports crazy" I joke and say that I watch all the "gay" sports like gymnastics, diving, and swimming (Gotta cheer for my boy Phelps.) Let's start with some of the trials.
Lochte wins 400m IM showdown over Phelps
Lochte wins 400m IM showdown over Phelps
OMAHA, Neb. – The entire CenturyLink Center was on its feet, screaming, during the men’s 400m IM final here at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials tonight. It was billed as a showdown between Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps and Tyler Clary.
Would Lochte, the two-time reigning world champ, earn gold? How about Phelps, who has not swum the race at a major meet since he won it in Beijing?
And then there was Clary, who finished second behind Lochte at the last two World Championships. Before Phelps committed to swimming the race, Clary was a sure bet to qualify for London.
The answer came in 4 minutes, 7.06 seconds when Lochte touched the wall first. Phelps was second in 4:07.89, while Clary stopped his timer in 4:09.92. Lochte and Phelps will next swim the race at the London Olympics.
Phelps was exhausted afterward while speaking to a huge throng of reporters in the mixed zone.
“It was a little painful. After watching Ryan swim this morning and I know how Tyler always swims that race, he’s a very strong front-half swimmer,” said Phelps, who confirmed to NBC’s Andrea Kremer he will swim the race in London. “I just tried to put myself in a good position for the first 200.”
Clary took a slight lead over Lochte and Phelps at the halfway point, but Lochte’s strong breaststroke skills put him in front after 300 meters. By then, Clary had already fallen back and although he stayed on Phelps’ hip in the freestyle, he started going backwards in the end.
Clary declined to speak with reporters.
Lochte was happy to get the race over with.
“The first race is always the hardest," Lochte said. “That race is over. I got so many more races left in this meet.”
Surprisingly, Lochte wasn’t entirely satisfied with his time. In fact, he was not happy.
“That time was not good at all, I know I'm capable of going way faster,” he said. “There was definitely a lot of places during that race where I knew I could go as faster, I just didn't.”
Pyrotechnics lined the left half of the pool and they shot flames into the air after the swimmers made the turn heading into the freestyle leg. The atmosphere resembled that of a heavyweight fight, except there were three fighters throwing jabs at each other instead of two.
Just think, this is only the first of three expected head-to-head battles between Phelps and Lochte. If everything goes as planned they will race the 200m freestyle final Wednesday night and the 200m IM Saturday.
And then next month it will happen all over again at the Olympics.
Lochte said afterward he is looking forward to London and showing the swimming world what the U.S. team can do: “I'm definitely ready tear it up in London and show the world what the USA is all about.”
Follow us on Twitter for all your swimming news.
Would Lochte, the two-time reigning world champ, earn gold? How about Phelps, who has not swum the race at a major meet since he won it in Beijing?
And then there was Clary, who finished second behind Lochte at the last two World Championships. Before Phelps committed to swimming the race, Clary was a sure bet to qualify for London.
The answer came in 4 minutes, 7.06 seconds when Lochte touched the wall first. Phelps was second in 4:07.89, while Clary stopped his timer in 4:09.92. Lochte and Phelps will next swim the race at the London Olympics.
Phelps was exhausted afterward while speaking to a huge throng of reporters in the mixed zone.
“It was a little painful. After watching Ryan swim this morning and I know how Tyler always swims that race, he’s a very strong front-half swimmer,” said Phelps, who confirmed to NBC’s Andrea Kremer he will swim the race in London. “I just tried to put myself in a good position for the first 200.”
Clary took a slight lead over Lochte and Phelps at the halfway point, but Lochte’s strong breaststroke skills put him in front after 300 meters. By then, Clary had already fallen back and although he stayed on Phelps’ hip in the freestyle, he started going backwards in the end.
Clary declined to speak with reporters.
Lochte was happy to get the race over with.
“The first race is always the hardest," Lochte said. “That race is over. I got so many more races left in this meet.”
Surprisingly, Lochte wasn’t entirely satisfied with his time. In fact, he was not happy.
“That time was not good at all, I know I'm capable of going way faster,” he said. “There was definitely a lot of places during that race where I knew I could go as faster, I just didn't.”
Pyrotechnics lined the left half of the pool and they shot flames into the air after the swimmers made the turn heading into the freestyle leg. The atmosphere resembled that of a heavyweight fight, except there were three fighters throwing jabs at each other instead of two.
Just think, this is only the first of three expected head-to-head battles between Phelps and Lochte. If everything goes as planned they will race the 200m freestyle final Wednesday night and the 200m IM Saturday.
And then next month it will happen all over again at the Olympics.
Lochte said afterward he is looking forward to London and showing the swimming world what the U.S. team can do: “I'm definitely ready tear it up in London and show the world what the USA is all about.”
Follow us on Twitter for all your swimming news.
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