U.S. Nationals Day 4: Lochte Bests Phelps in 200 IM

IRVINE, Calif. – Ryan Lochte won the marquee matchup of the night Friday at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships, beating 14-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps to the wall in the men’s 200m IM in 1:54.84.

It marked the first time Lochte has beaten Phelps in this event in head-to-head competition at a major national or international meet.

Phelps was second in 1:55.94.

Coming into tonight’s finals, Lochte and Phelps were the two fastest swimmers of all time in the 200m IM. Phelps is the two-time defending Olympic Champ (2004 and 2008) and held the world record from June of 2003 to last year, when Lochte broke it en route to a gold medal at the FINA World Championships.

Phelps held the lead in tonight’s race through the backstroke leg, only to be reeled in by Lochte in the breaststroke and passed at the 150 meter mark. From there, Lochte raced for home as Phelps ran out of gas. Their times were the top two in the world this year, and Lochte’s performance was the fifth-fastest of all time.

It was Lochte’s second win of the meet after taking the 400m IM on the first night of competition.

“It feels great,” Lochte said. “I’ve been trying (to beat Phelps) for a long time. To finally get a win feels good.”

Phelps has won three events so far this week, including the 100m and 200m butterfly and a victory over Lochte in the 200m free.

“That hurt,” Phelps said. “I was telling Ryan that with about 40 meters left, I felt like he passed me like I was standing still. I felt like I hit a brick wall. It all comes down to being in shape, and I’m just not there yet.”

Nathan Adrian’s winning time of 48.41 in the men’s 100m freestyle was the second-fastest time in the world this year and more than four-tenths of a second ahead of the rest of the field. Lochte, completing the first half of a tough double, finished second in 48.83. Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale tied for third in 48.96.

It was Adrian’s second win of the meet. He also won the 50m free last night.

“There are definitely some things I can clean up to go faster in that race, but I’m pretty happy with that time,” Adrian said. “I think the most important thing is to swim your own race, and I was able to do that tonight.”

Lezak, probably best known for his heroics in the Americans’ come-from-behind win in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympic Games, was competing in his first major national competition since Beijing. Irvine is his hometown, and the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, where the event is being held, his home pool.

The 100m free is the only event in which Lezak will be competing this week, and he was happy to qualify for the U.S. Pan Pacific Championships Team in the 4x100 free relay with his performance Friday.

“I had a lot of fans here,” Lezak said. “It’s great to have that kind of support when I come to a meet. "

“It was a good swim. I swam really well this morning, and to come back just as fast tonight, I’m happy with that. I’ve just got to be relaxed and finish the race a little stronger.”

Also turning in the second-fastest time in the world this year in her event was Kathleen Hersey in the women’s 200m butterfly. Hersey touched the wall first in 2:07.00 to secure her spot on the U.S. Pan Pacific Championships Team.

Hersey jumped out to a lead at the first 50 and was able to hold off a charging Teresa Crippen in the final 50 meters for the win. Crippen finished second in 2:07.89, while Mary (DeScenza) Mohler was third in 2:08.91.
Hersey placed eighth in the 200m fly at the 2008 Olympic Games, and was ninth in this event last year at the FINA World Championships.

“I just wanted to be more aggressive than I was this morning,” Hersey said. “I’m really happy with the results.”
After a disappointing fourth-place finish in last night’s 400m IM, Elizabeth Beisel rebounded tonight with a win in the women’s 200m back, turning in a time of 2:08.50 and qualifying for the U.S. Pan Pacific Championships Team. Up-and-comer Missy Franklin, who qualified for the Pan Pacs Team earlier in the week in the 100m back, was second in 2:09.74. Morgan Scroggy was third in 2:10.87. Scroggy also qualified for the Pan Pacs Team earlier in the week in the 4x200m free relay.

Beisel, who won bronze in the 200m back at last year’s World Championships, was relieved by her win.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Beisel said. “All I wanted to do is make Pan Pacs. It’s such a relief.”

This year’s ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships will decide the U.S. team roster for a number of international competitions in the next year, including the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships, the 2010 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, the 2010 FINA Short Course World Championships, the 2011 FINA World Championships and the 2011 World University Games. Team rosters will be posted on usaswimming.org as they are released.
 
The meet resumes tomorrow with prelims and finals of the women’s 100m freestyle, men’s 200m backstroke, women’s 200m breaststroke and men’s 200m breaststroke. Finals of the men’s 1500m free and women’s 800m free will also be contested. Complete results can be found at usaswimming.org/nationals.