PHELPS BEATS LOCHTE; SONI AND HARDY ALSO WIN

OMAHA, Neb. – Michael Phelps won his second of three races against Ryan Lochte this week at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, edging his rival Saturday in the men’s 200m IM, 1:54.84 to 1:54.93.

Other winners on the sixth night of finals at the CenturyLink Center included Lochte in the men’s 200m backstroke in 1:54.54; Rebecca Soni in the women’s 200m breaststroke in 2:21.13; and Jessica Hardy in the women’s 100m freestyle in 53.96. Second-place finishers included Micah Lawrence in the women’s 200 breast (2:23.03); Tyler Clary in the men’s 200 back (1:54.88); and Missy Franklin in the women’s 100 free (54.15).

The first and second-place finishers were named to the U.S. Olympic Team roster in each event. The third- and fourth-place finishers in the women’s 100m freestyle – Allison Schmitt and Lia Neal – were also added to the roster in the 400m freestyle relay.

The fifth- and sixth-place finishers in the women’s 100m free – Amanda Weir and Natalie Coughlin – will likely be added to the team in the 400 free relay, pending swimmers qualifying in multiple events.

The Men’s 200m IM
The men’s 200m IM promised to be a dogfight from the start, with the two fastest swimmers of all time in this event – Lochte and Phelps – going head-to-head for the third time this week.

The race lived up to its billing. Phelps led through the first three legs by just fractions of a second. Then on the final turn, Lochte pulled even, setting up a stroke-for-stroke race to the final wall. Their times were the first- and second-fastest in the world this year.

The 200 IM was the second of three races for Lochte Saturday. About a half hour before racing Phelps, Lochte won the men’s 200m backstroke and would later compete in the semifinals of the men’s 100m butterfly, where he qualified sixth for tomorrow night’s finals in 52.47.

“Ryan swam three tough races tonight,” Phelps said. “That’s a tough triple. I tried to set the pace early. I knew the 200 back would take a lot out of his legs. Then that last 50 we just went crazy.

“I think there’s going to be more races like that in the next couple of weeks.”

Men’s 200m Backstroke
In the men’s 200m back, Tyler Clary was out in front of the field at the halfway point and held that lead through the final turn, when Lochte took the lead with a great transition off the wall. From there, the two raced down the final 35 meters, with Lochte edging Clary by 34-hundredths of a second.

Their performances were the second- and third-fastest in the world this year.

“(The triple) was probably the most pain I’ve tolerated in the sport of swimming,” Lochte said. “I took one at a time. The backstroke was decent, but I could go a lot faster. The IM, I could go a lot faster. The fly, honestly, I gave it everything I had.”

Clary, too, saw room for improvement in his race.

“I wasn’t expecting to be ahead at the 150 at all, and that kind of helped me a little with my confidence in my front-half speed,” Clary said. “There is room for improvement in that swim, and I’m excited to make changes and race in London. I know there have been a couple of guys in the world already at 1:54, and I think the strength of the United States team is once we get into a heat with other international swimmers, we have the ability to get our hands on the wall.”

Women’s 200m Backstroke
Not counting a small glitch at the 2009 World Championships, Rebecca Soni has pretty much owned the women’s 200m breaststroke on the national and international level since she upset Australian Leisel Jones for gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Saturday night was no different.

Soni controlled the race the whole way, edging out in front of the pack at the 100-meter mark. By the time she headed down the homestretch she was out in front by herself. Lawrence touched about two seconds behind in 2:23.13.

The two will be ranked as the first and third-fastest swimmers in the world this year heading into London.

“I’m very ready,” Soni said. “This was a nerve-racking meet all around with a lot of tension and emotion for everybody. Watching all the races, you really get into it. I’m excited to watch the last few nights of racing and get to training camp.

“I’m happy to have made this team, and I know it’s more pressure this time around at the Olympics. Hopefully I can overlook that and have a good race.”

The Women’s 100m Freestyle

The top six finishers in the women’s 100m freestyle were separated by less than half a second. Leading the way was Hardy, who qualified for the Olympic Team in several events in 2008 only to be suspended after a positive drug test.

Known mostly for her prowess in the 100 breast, Hardy was a favorite to qualify for the team earlier this week in that event, but finished third. Saturday, she was relieved.

“Never in a million years did I think I could win that race,” Hardy said. “I am so shocked. I think that was all heart out there. It’s just so meaningful. I can’t tell you guys how happy and grateful I am.”

Also relieved to put herself in a position to make the team was Natalie Coughlin. Coughlin was a favorite to qualify in the women’s 100 back, but finished third in that event. Now with her sixth place finish in the 100 free, she will likely be added to the roster in the 400 free relay, pending swimmers qualifying in multiple events.

“This is not the meet I envisioned coming into this week, this year or this quadrenium,” Coughlin said. “Going into this race, I just wanted to be proud of myself afterward, no matter what the result.”

Semifinals
Semifinals were contested in three events Friday – the men’s 50m freestyle, the women’s 200m backstroke and the men’s 100m butterfly. The top eight swimmers from each of those semifinals will compete in tomorrow night’s finals. The top eight swimmers from this morning’s prelims of the women’s 800m freestyle will also swim in tomorrow night’s finals.

Top seeds in tomorrow night’s finals are: Anthony Ervin in the men’s 50m freestyle in 21.74 (tied for third-fastest in the world this year with Australian James Magnussen); Missy Franklin in the women’s 200m backstroke in 2:07.91; Michael Phelps in the men’s 100m butterfly in 51.36; and Kate Ziegler in the women’s 800m free in 8:27.61.

For more information about the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, including complete results, go to www.usaswimming.org/trials. Also, follow all the action from Trials on your mobile device with DeckPass Plus, available now for your iPad, iPhone or Android.