According to SwimSwam, Sun Yang is out of the 200m freestyle at Worlds

http://swimswam.com/sun-yang-will-only-swim-two-events-at-world-championships/

Due to lack of conditioning, apparently.  I guess the rumors were true.  Now we need to see if Agnel is going to swim it.

2013 Worlds Preview - Men's 200m free

Prediction:  Ryan Lochte wins gold.

I really agonized over this prediction and changed my mind multiple times.  Here is my analysis, which is based 50% on numbers/history and 50% on believing in Ryan's abilities and not wanting to sell him short.  Some of Ryan's performances in the 2012 Olympics, including the 200m free, were disappointing.  But I think given his wealth of racing experience, the depth of his training base and his mental/physical abilities he will come out on top in this event.

Many of the best performers in the 200m freestyle - Michael Phelps, Paul Biedermann (Germany), Tae Hwan Park (South Korea) and Yannick Agnel (France) - have said they are not competing in Barcelona.  But is that true for all of them?  Agnel announced in May that he would swim only relays.  Yet recently, strong rumors have emerged (see comments to this Swimswam article - http://swimswam.com/french-open/) suggesting that Agnel has changed his mind and will indeed swim the 200m free individual event.

Sun Yang (China) is the current favorite.  Others who are expected to do well are Jeremy Stravius (France)(best time in 2013 1:45.61), Thomas Fraser-Holmes (Australia)(best time in 2013 1:45.79), Cameron McEvoy (Australia) (best time in 2013 1:46.03), Conor Dwyer (USA)(best time in 2013 1:46.25), Kosuke Hagino (Japan)(best time in 2013 1:46.28), Danila Izotov (Russia)(best time in 2013 1:46.37) and Nikita Lobintsev (Russia)(best time in 2013 1:46.59).  Sun Yang, Agnel, Stravius and Fraser-Holmes have all swum this event faster than Ryan this year.

Here is a comparison of Ryan's best times in recent years in comparison with Agnel and Sun Yang.  Both are age 21, which is quite a bit younger than Ryan at nearly age 29.  Sun Yang has only recently begun competing in the 200m free as an individual event, having focused on the longer freestyle events.  Thus, Ryan has more international experience than both of them.

Ryan's best times in the 200m free since 2008:

Flat Start
2008:  1:45.61 (semi-finals Olympic trials)
2009:  1:45.66 (finals - Nationals)
2010:  1:45.78 (finals - Nationals)
2010:  1:45.30 (finals - Pan Pacs)
2011:  1:44.44 (finals - World Championships)
2012:  1:45.75 (finals - Olympic trials)
2012:  1:45.04 (finals - Olympics)
2012:  1:45.15 (finals - Olympics - 4x200 free relay - flat start)
2013:  1:45.97 (finals - Nationals)

Relay Start
2008:  1:44.28 (4x200 free relay in Olympic finals - relay start)
2009:  1:44.46 (4x200 free relay World Championships finals - relay start)
2010:  1:45.27 (4x200 free relay Pan Pacs finals - relay start)
2011:  1:44.56 (4x200 free relay World Championships finals - relay start)

Agnel's best times since 2010:

Flat Start
2010:  1:47:52 (finals - French Nationals)
2010:  1:45.83 (finals - European Championships - 4x200 free relay - flat start)
2011:  1:45.47 (finals - French Nationals)
2011:  1:44.99 (finals - World Championships)
2011:  1:45.25 (finals World Championships - 4x200 free relay - flat start)
2012:  1:44.42 (finals - French Olympic trials)
2012:  1:43.14 (finals - Olympics)
2013:  1:45.48 (finals - French World Championship Trials - was sick during this meet)

Relay Start
2012:  1:43.24 (4x200 free relay in Olympics finals - relay start)

Sun Yang's best times since 2010
Flat Start
2010:  1:46.25 (finals - Asian Games)
2012:  1:44.93 (finals - Olympics)
2013:  1:44.99 (finals - China Nationals)

Relay Start
2011:  1:45.14 (4x200 free relay in World Championship finals - relay start)
2012:  1:45.55 (4x200 free relay in Olympics finals - relay start)

Here is why I believe Ryan will win gold in Barcelona.

• Ryan has swum this race internationally since 2010, the same as Agnel and Sun Yang.  Nevertheless, Ryan has been swimming the 200 free against a tough US field (including Michael Phelps) since 2003-04 and internationally on the 4 x 200 free relay since 2004.  He has a lot more racing experience than Agnel and Sun Yang, who do not have as much competition among their own countrymen.  
• Ryan has superior walls.  Although Ryan's swimming training has been off post-Olympics, he has kept up with his weight training.  This means his legs are still strong and his push-offs are still quick.  Ryan should come out of the third turn with a nice lead.  He just needs to hold on for the last 50m for the win..
• Which brings me to the base.  This past year notwithstanding, Ryan's yardage has been consistently high since 2002 when he began swimming for Gregg Troy at Florida.  He will be able to draw this base in Barcelona.  Agnel and Sun Yang have reportedly also had inconsistent training since the Olympics, with Agnel changing coaches and officially dropping the individual events at Worlds see, http://swimswam.com/yannick-agnel-headed-to-us-to-train-will-swim-only-relays-at-world-championships/ and Sun Yang being disciplined by his Chinese coach in February 2013 for not adhering to his training schedule see, http://swimswam.com/sun-yang/.         
• I think the winning time will be somewhere around 1:44.5.  Ryan has consistently performed in the 1:45 range for the past 5 to 6 years and has gone 1:44.4 previously.  With more rest this year not training for the grueling 400m IM, his speed should be increased.  Agnel has obviously swum a lot faster than 1:44.5 and although Sun Yang has not, he has incredible endurance and back end speed and certainly has the ability to go that fast or faster.  Ryan will need to use his greater experience and walls to win.
• Ryan has done well with the double taper in the past.  It's unlikely he tapered as much for US trials as he did in 2012.  The combination of focused training in April and May and the additional rest before Barcelona will hopefully help with speed. 

Here are videos from some of the more recent 200m free international events and from US Olympic trials in 2012.

2012 Olympics - finals (yes still painful)



2012 Olympic trials (US) - finals



2011 World Championships - finals



2010 Pan Pacs - finals

Ryan Lochte post-swim interviews at Nationals - from SwimmingWorld Magazine

After the 100m fly



After the 200m IM



After the 200m free/200m back double



After the 100m free

200m IM and 100m Fly results

200m IM



100m Fly - watch the finish. Ryan definitely would have won if he hadn't glided to the finish.  This must be what he means when he says he is still learning how to swim this event.

Ryan's events at World Championships

World Championships begin on Sunday, July 28th, exactly 4 weeks from today.  This is my analysis of the individual events Ryan is entered in.  The relays are discussed briefly, but I would like to do a separate analysis devoted solely to the relays.

Sunday, July 28th

4 x 100m free relay - prelims and finals

Ryan finished 4th in the 100m free at Nationals.  This automatically qualifies him for the relay, yet the lineup is a coach's decision.  Bob Bowman in the head men's coach.  Ryan's coach, Gregg Troy, is not an assistant coach for the men's team.  I don't know if that means he will not be making the trip to Barcelona or if he will still go to coach Ryan, just not officially.

Does Ryan automatically get the evening only swim?  Or does he have to swim the prelims to prove he's worthy of the finals.  It will be interesting to find out.  I suspect Ryan will have to swim in the prelims and prove he is fast enough to swim in the finals.

Monday, July 29th

200m free - prelims and semi-finals

Tuesday, July 30th

200m free - finals

Ryan posted the 5th fastest time of 2013 at Nationals - 1:45.97.  Those with faster times are:

• Sun Yang 1:44.99
• Yannick Agnel 1:45.48
• Jeremy Stravius 1:45.61
• Thomas Fraser-Holmes 1:45.79.  

Rounding out the top 10 times of the year are:

• Cameron McEvoy 1:46.03
• Conor Dwyer 1:46.25
• Kosuke Hagino 1:46.28
• Danila Izotov 1:46.37
• Nikita Lobintsev 1:46.59

I think Ryan has a good chance to medal in this event at Worlds.  There are a lot of big names missing.  Agnel is not going to swim it.  Neither is Tae Hwan Park nor Paul Beidermann.  The only other swimmer in the top 10 who has beat Ryan previously is Sun Yang.  While Yang is absolutely formidable, if Ryan can rest his legs more in the next 4 weeks and regain his devastating walls, I think he can beat Yang.

Wednesday, July 31st

200 IM - prelims and semi-finals

Thursday, August 1st

200 back - prelims and semi-finals

200 IM - finals

Ryan posted the fastest time of 2013 in the 200m IM at Nationals - 1:55.44.  The other swimmers in the top 10 include:

• Kosuke Hagino 1:55.74
• Henrique Rodrigues 1:57.37
• Thiago Pereira 1:57.48
• Shun Wang 1:57.50
• Daniel Tranter 1:57.55
• Conor Dwyer 1:57.74
• Jeremy Stravius 1:57.89
• Dayia Seto 1:58.14 (tied for 9th)
• Roberto Pavoni 1:58.14 (tied for 9th)

This is Ryan's best chance for a gold medal.  No other swimmer in the top 10 has been below 1:55 and Ryan has done it multiple times.  Hagino is intriguing though and probably has the best chance of giving Ryan a fight.  I hope he does because that may push Ryan toward a record.  It's difficult to imagine him breaking his WR and getting below 1:54 without racing Michael Phelps, but this is one of his best chances, especially if he is pushed by Hagino.  Having the 200m back prelims that morning before the 200m IM finals is not going to hurt Ryan.

Friday, August 2nd

200m back - finals

100m fly - prelims and semi-finals

4 x 200m free relay - prelims and finals

Friday is Ryan's toughest day.  He has a triple in the evening, one of which is a final in his toughest event.  This day is really going to test Ryan's training and abilities.

Ryan posted the 3rd fastest time in 2013 in the 200m back at Nationals - 1:55.16.  The 2 faster times are:

• Ryosuke Irie 1:54.72
• Kosuke Hagino 1:55.12

The rest of the top 10 are:

• Tyler Clary 1:55.58
• Radoslaw Kawecki 1:56.14
• Craig McNally 1:56.36
• Ryan Murphy 1:56.37 (not swimming in Barcelona)
• Peter Berneck 1:56.54
• Matson Lawson 1:56.59
• Yannick Lebherz 1:56.71

The 200m back will be Ryan's toughest event - even tougher than the 200m free.  Irie has always been a difficult challenge, beating Ryan in 2009 in Rome and in 2012 in London.  Hagino I believe has never been below 1:55 so I'm not as concerned about him.  Clary is certainly capable of winning as he proved in London.  This is going to be a tough race.  Ryan likely will only have the 100m fly prelims in the morning and the 200m back final is the first men's race of Friday evening.  Thus, fatigue should not be a factor in the 200m back, except that the race comes toward the end of a long week.

Ryan will probably anchor the 4 x 200 free relay or lead it off with Conor Dwyer as anchor.  I know Ricky Berens did not swim his best at Nationals, but I could also see him leading off or anchoring this relay.

Saturday, August 3rd

100m fly - finals

Ryan posted the 6th fastest time in 2013 in the 100m fly at trials - 51.71.  The five faster times are:

• Steffan Diebler 51.19
• Evgeny Korotyshkin 51.53
• Chad LeClos 51.64
• Eugene Godsoe 51.66
• Matteo Rivolta 51.70

The rest of the top 10 is:

• Christopher Wright 51.77
• Konrad Czerniak 51.79
• Timothy Philips 51.86 (not swimming in Barcelona)
• Michael Rock 51.91

Ryan will have a tough time medaling in this event.  All of the five swimmers above him are formidable opponents with a lot of experience in this event.  Eugene Godsoe may be new to the international scene, but he's a very experienced swimmer and has swum this event for years.  As Ryan said at trials, he is still learning how to swim it.  As soon as I find the video of the 100m fly from trials, I encourage you to watch the end, where Ryan glided to the wall and not only lost the race but almost came in 3rd.  Over the next 4 weeks he should be able to fine-tune his 100m fly to improve dramatically.  He has the speed and endurance to do very well in this event the only question is does he have the experience.  

Sunday, August 4th

4 x 100m medley relay - prelims and finals

The issue here is will Ryan be chosen by Coach Bowman to swim in the prelims or the finals.  I think it depends on how he does in the 100m fly individual event.  If he does well but Godsoe is faster, then Ryan will swim in the prelims.  If Ryan does better than Godsoe in the individual event, he will swim in the finals of the relay.  

Very Impressive Double

1st in 200m free - 1:45.97 - 5th fastest time in the world this year



1st in 200m back - 1:55.16 - 3rd fastest time in the world this year

Who knew Ryan is a sprinter

4th place in the 100 free and a spot on the 4 x 100 free relay.  Personal best time of 48.58 despite a bad start.

200 back and 200 free today

Kelli Anderson Sports Illustrated Article About Ryan

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20130603/missy-franklin-ryan-lochte-santa-clara-grand-prix/

Or, say, 28 -- like another Olympic celebrity Ryan Lochte. To hear him tell it, Lochte's immersion in the post-Olympic high life nearly sank his career. After returning from London with five medals, including two golds, he hit the talk show, photo shoot and red-carpet circuits; canoodled with childhood crush Carmen Electra; made cameos on 30 Rock and Beverly Hills 90210; and starred in his own reality TV show, What Would Ryan Lochte Do?, which recently aired on E! to mixed reviews.

"You name it, I did it," said Lochte as he sat on a bench outside the swim center's office after winning the 400 IM and the 200 back on Saturday. "After the Olympics, I wasn't swimming, I was doing all this other stuff that most people only dream about doing. I was partying, hitting red carpets, and being a celeb. I was meeting all these people and I was like, 'Man, this is awesome!' Why would I want to go back and train for three four hours every day when I'm living the life? You get sucked into that lifestyle. It takes over, just like that."

Lochte, who had never taken a significant break from swimming, says the pool was barely a thought for several months. "There were a few times this year when I said, I don't want to swim anymore. I'm done," he says. When he did finally show up to practice at the University of Florida, his coach, Gregg Troy, spelled out his diminishing prospects. "He said, 'You're not going to be remembered in the next couple years if you keep this up, you're not going to make the Olympic team,'" says Lochte. "Once he started talking about my dreams, I was like, crap, I don't want to be one of those guys, ten years down the road who is saying, what if I had just stuck with it?"

Even after that gut check, Lochte's training was interrupted by other commitments, including his eight-week reality TV shoot and the ensuing promotional tour, which included trips to New York, LA, and Miami. The fact that the show has not been met with universal acclaim -- even Troy, who is not a fan of reality TV in general, admits he only watched ten minutes of the first episode -- doesn't faze Lochte. "I hear people loving it and I hear haters -- oh my god, what a waste of time!" says Lochte. "But you know what, I'm living my life the way I want to live it. I'm okay. I was having fun doing that show. But I know I'm an athlete, not an actor."

With that adventure behind him, Lochte cancelled all his commitments and "turned down a lot of money," he says, in the last five weeks to focus on training. "I've probably put in the best four or five weeks of my life," he says. It paid off in Santa Clara: In addition to wins in the 400m individual medley, the 200m back, the 100m fly, and the 200m IM, Lochte claimed second in the 100m free, just behind Olympic champ Nathan Adrian. He says he doesn't know what he'll be swimming at the world championship trials in Indianapolis June 25-29, but its unlikely he'll do both the 400m IM and the 100m fly, which are scheduled back-to-back on Day 3.

However Lochte fares in Indy and at the Worlds in Barcleona later this summer, he'll be making changes in the fall. After 11 years in Gainesville, he's moving -- he won't say where to -- to get a different kind of training. He'll keep a place in town so he can still train with Troy on occasion. "I've already talked to him and he's okay with it," says Lochte. "Instead of being full time with him, I'm going to be going other places and doing other things."

In the next three years, he promises, those "other things" won't exclude training. "I don't know what to expect this summer because my training has not been there," he says. "So I'm taking what I can get. It's a learning experience. Living the celeb life has been fun, but I don't think I can do it full time again."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20130603/missy-franklin-ryan-lochte-santa-clara-grand-prix/#ixzz2VD9A2f31

Event Order at US Nationals/Worlds Trials - June 25 to 29, 2013

Ryan's potential events are in yellow.  There are a couple of tough possible doubles.  He'll definitely have to choose between the 400 IM and the 100 fly.  Having won the past 2 world championships & the Olympic championship in the 400 IM, I hope he chooses that event.

Day 1 (Tuesday, June 25)

200 fly
100 free
800 free (W)
1500 free (M)
4 x 100 free relay

Day 2 (Wednesday, June 26)

200 free
200 breast
200 back
50 fly
4 x 200 free relay (M)

Day 3 (Thursday, June 27)

400 IM
100 fly
50 breast
50 back
4 x 200 free relay (W)

Day 4 (Friday, June 28)

400 free
100 breast
100 back
4 x 100 medley relay

Day 5 (Saturday, June 29)

1500 free (W)
200 IM
800 free (M)
50 free

Santa Clara Results

100m Fly - 1st



400m IM - 1st



100m free - 2nd



200m back - 1st

Santa Clara GP - Ryan is entered in 9 events including the 400m IM

Psych sheet is here: Psych Sheet

Ryan's events:

100m Free - Event 4 (Friday)
400m Free - Event 8 (Friday)
100m Fly - Event 10 (Friday)

400m IM - Event 14 (Saturday)
200m Free - Event 16 (Saturday)
200m Back - Event 18 (Saturday)

100m Breast - Event 26 (Sunday)
100m Back - Event 28 (Sunday)
200m IM - Event 30 (Sunday)

I think he'll scratch at least one event each day.  My guess is he'll scratch the 400m Free, 200m Back and 100m Breast.  Just hope he doesn't scratch the 400m IM.

Swimming Vortex Article: What Will Ryan Lochte Do

http://www.swimvortex.com/tv-spinoff-what-will-ryan-lochte-do/

Psych Sheet for the Mel Zajac Meet

The psych sheet for the Mel Zajac meet in Vancouver, BC can be found here:  Mel Zajac Meet psych sheet

Ryan's events are:

200m back - Event 3
200m free - Event 7
50m back - Event 18
200m IM - Event 22
100m free - Event 35
100m back - Event 37

It looks like Ryan is the only U.S. Olympian entered in this meet.  Canadian Olympians entered in the meet are Tommy Gossland (4x100 free relay in London) and Scott Dickens (100 breast, 200 breast and 4 x 100 medley relay).

Ryan's entry times, which appear to be made up and a bit higher than his fastest times (i.e. 1:53.00 in 200 back, 1:45.00 in 200 free, 49.00 in 100 free and 54.00 in 100 back) are much faster than most of the other swimmers entered in the meet.

Should be interesting to watch.  The meet is supposed to be live streamed at http://swimcanweb.tv/en/live-webcast

Live results:  http://results.teamunify.com/canubc/2013/zajac/

Mel Zajac Meet - May 24-26, 2013 in Vancouver, BC

Here is the website for the swim meet in Canada that Ryan has entered.  It is May 25-27 in Vancouver.

http://www.pacificcoastswimming.com/events/2013-mel-zajac-jr-international

Good news, there's going to be a live webcast here:  http://swimcanweb.tv/en/live-webcast

Will post the psych sheet once it becomes available.

Ryan Lochte on his training for 2013 Nationals/Worlds

Associated Press Article from Daytona Beach News-Journal

Lochte finishes 6th in 100 backstroke; coach Troy 'yelled' at him

Ryan Lochte competes in the men's 100-meter backstroke Saturday during the Arena Grand Prix swim meet in Charlotte, N.C. Lochte finished in sixth place.

Associated Press / Jeff Siner

NEWS-JOURNAL SERVICES

Published: Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 5:18 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10:47 p.m.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Spruce Creek product Ryan Lochte finished sixth in the 100 men's backstroke at the Arena Grand Prix in Charlotte, more than a second behind winner Andrew teDuits.

TeDuits claimed the men's 100 back in 54.43.

Lochte swam in only one event on the night.

“The time was good for where I'm at,” said Lochte, who only resumed full-time training in the past two weeks after wrapping his reality TV show. “The place (stunk).”

Lochte has already gotten a reality check from his coach, Gregg Troy.

“He yelled at me. He gave it to me good,” Lochte said. “He was like, ‘You know what? You've been messing up this whole year. If you don't watch it, you're not going to make worlds.' I trust him with my life. He's the world's best coach. I'm going to listen to him. It's my time to get in gear.”

But Lochte acknowledged there's no way he'll be in the same condition he was last summer, when he won two golds, two silvers and a bronze in what was actually considered a bit of a disappointing Olympic performance.

“I don't really know what to expect,” Lochte said. “I'm not going to be in top peak shape. I just haven't done it this year. But the times and the effort I've been putting in are getting up there.”

He'll compete at two more meets — a Canadian event, then the Grand Prix stop in Santa Clara — before the U.S. world team trials in June.

“A month ago, I was a little nervous,” Lochte said. “But now, I'm feeling better. The past two weeks have been really good. It's given me my confidence back.”

Ultraswim - Saturday and Sunday

Ryan swam two races on Sunday - 200m IM and 200m back.  Here are the videos:





Ryan swam one race on Saturday - 100m back.  Here is the video

Charlotte Ultraswim!

http://swimswam.com/ryan-lochte-is-done-with-reality-show-production-video-interview/



Live results here:  Live results

Psych sheet here:  Ultra Swim Psych Sheet

Watch live here:  Watch live

Prelims begin at 9:00 am EDT
Finals begin at 6:00 pm EDT

Ryan's events on Friday:

200m Free (Event 4) - A FINAL, Lane 7

  1 Matt McLean            24 Univ Virginia Aq  1:50.65    1:49.02  
  2 Conor Dwyer            24 Lake Forest       1:50.33    1:49.29  
  3 *Joseph Schooling      17 Bolles School Sh  1:50.33    1:49.47  
  4 Ricky Berens           25 Longhorn Aquatic  1:50.83    1:49.50  
  5 Connor Jaeger          22 Club Wolverine    1:50.27    1:49.59  
  6 Ryan Lochte            28 Daytona Beach Sw  1:50.76    1:49.81  
  7 Michael Klueh          26 Club Wolverine    1:50.45    1:50.01  
  8 Charlie Houchin        25 iX3 Sports        1:50.94    1:50.36  

100m Fly (Event 10) - B FINAL, Lane 4

  9 Ryan Lochte            28 Daytona Beach Sw    54.76      54.02  
 10 Santo Condorelli       18 Bolles School Sh    54.95      54.63  
 11 *Marcin Cieslak        21 Gator Swim Club     55.07      54.77  
 12 Michael Domagala       17 Asphalt Green Un    55.21      55.22  
 13 Andrew Seliskar        16 Nation's Capital    55.29      55.47  
 14 *Bruno Ortiz           20 Club Wolverine      55.63      55.70  
 15 Ryan Murphy            17 Bolles School Sh    55.43      56.04  
 16 Sam Rairden            21 Univ Tennessee      55.65      56.14  

Should be a good meet!!

Swim Swam: Ryan Lochte Maybe Moving to California Interview

Garrett McCaffrey always comes through with the best interviews.  Nobody in swimming asks better questions and he always does his homework.

http://swimswam.com/swimswam-breaks-the-news-on-ryan-lochtes-possible-move-west-video-interview/

http://vimeo.com/63988551



Sounds like Ryan's lifestyle and age doesn't fit into the UF training methods anymore.  Less yardage may revitalize him.

Update: In response to Lochte’s comments, Dave Salo said that while he and Ryan have a “great relationship,” they have never had a conversation about such a move. He did say though if that at some point he does consider a move to USC, they would have a “thorough conversation.”

Ryan's Interview with SwimmingWorld Magazine

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/MorningSwimShow/34113.asp?q=Ryan-Lochte-Joins-WarmDown-Show-on-Day-3-at-Arena-Grand-Prix---Mesa

AZ Central Article About Ryan Lochte and WWRLD

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/azetc/articles/20130412olympic-gold-medalist-ryan-lochte-star-new-reality-show-e-what-would-ryan-lochte-do.html
By Jeff Metcalfeazcentral sportsFri Apr 12, 2013 10:35 PM

It’s unlikely the new reality show “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” will answer the bigger question of who Lochte really is.

A swimming hunk to be admired for his body — and the 11 Olympic medals it’s brought him — and not his brain? Or someone shrewd enough to play along with his media image all the way to the bank?

Anthony Ervin, who at 31 is three years older than Lochte and has seen it all during his swim career, believes the real Ryan is a better actor than people realize.

“He enjoys the misrepresentation he has in the media of being somewhat of a clown,” Ervin said Friday at the Arena Grand Prix in Mesa. “He’s just going to go with it and wring it out and make use of it. Hence the reality show.”

Caitlin Leverenz, the 200-meter bronze medalist in the 2012 Olympics, agrees with Ervin’s assessment. “Ryan is an intelligent person,” the Tucson resident said, “but doesn’t always come across that way. There is more to Ryan than meets the eye.”

WWRLD debuts April 21 on E! network, where promos show him playing shirtless football, drunk golf and bowling; naturally looking for love; and just as naturally interacting with his family including his mother Ike, who made a name for herself last summer by publicly talking about Ryan’s dating habits.

No wonder, then, that there is some trepidation within the sport about potential fallout from the eight episodes ahead. But Frank Busch, USA Swimming National team director, isn’t worried.

“Reality TV is what this generation kind of lives on,” Busch said. “How could you ever take someone like Ryan or any of the athletes that have worked so hard for so long for something and have an opportunity to be a part of something they never dreamed they could. I think it says a lot about our sport. The stars of our sport have been elevated to a place where the average American knows their name. I’m all for it.”

Even Lochte doesn’t know what to expect because he is without any creative control.

“I just know I was a part of all of it,” he said. “Any time you have something big like this, you’re going to have a little anxiety. I’m not really nervous for it just because I’ve worked with the whole E! network. The producers became like part of my family. I know they’ll have my back. I told them the expectations that I’m looking for. We’ll see what happens.”

Some of WWRLD was filmed at the Grand Prix in Orlando in February, but it was in the can before he arrived here. Conor Dwyer, who trains with Lochte under coach Gregg Troy in Gainesville, Fla., has been along for the ride for four years including at the London Olympics where they roomed together across from Big Ben for a week.

“He’s just a laid back guy that likes to have fun and swim as his profession,” Dwyer said. “Reality TV can make you look like someone you’re not so I’m not too sure how they’re going to make him look. I know he’s a good guy at heart. He doesn’t really care what other people think. That’s what I like about Ryan.

“We get serious when we have to, but you should enjoy life as it comes and not be too serious about everything.”

Maybe that’s the warning label that should be included at the start of each WWRLD episode especially for the legion of young Lochte fans, mostly girls, like those who are hanging on his every move at the Skyline Aquatic Center. Lochte is the face of the sport now that Michael Phelps has retired and ultimately his legacy hinges not on WWRLD but on earning at least two more Olympic medals to break into the exclusive 13-and-above category reached by only six others, Summer or Winter Games. Phelps is safely in first all-time with 22 medals and 18 golds.

“There’s no doubt in my mind when it’s time to step up, I know when to do that,” said Lochte, who was fifth in the 200 backstroke and sixth in the 200 freestyle Friday night after finishing ninth (first in the B final) in two events Thursday. “I know what to do and when to do it. This meet is just about racing. I haven’t really done that at all this year. I’ve been doing everything else but swimming.”

Even if Lochte is less than prepared for major meets this year, Troy certainly will have him in shape for a full-scale run at the 2016 Olympics. And if he’s still single then, get ready for WWRLD Rio.

Ryan Lochte Interview About Swimming and His Reality Show

Mesa GP - Day 2 Results

200m back "A" finals



200m free "A" finals



200m back prelims



200m free prelims

Mesa GP - Day 1 Results

Here are videos from yesterday's races (found here:  Take It Live)

100m fly B finals (Ryan's time 54.48/1st in "B" finals)



100m free B finals (Ryan's time 50.98/1st in "B" finals)



100m fly prelims (Ryan's time 54.91/9th overall)



100m free prelims (Ryan's time 51.32/13th overall)

Mesa GP - Day 1 Prelims

Mesa, AZ is on MST, which is GMT -7 except that it does not observe daylight savings, so it's currently GMT -8.  So complicated!

Here is the timeline for today's prelims courtesy of USA Swimming:


Event #1 Women's 100 Meter Freestyle - 9 heats - 9:00 AM
Event #2 Men's 100 Meter Freestyle - 7 heats - 9:13 AM
Event #3 Women's 200 Meter Breaststroke - 4 heats - 9:22 AM
Event #4 Men's 200 Meter Breaststroke - 4 heats - 9:35 AM
Event #5 Women's 400 Meter Freestyle - 6 heats - 9:47 AM
Event #6 Men's 400 Meter Freestyle - 5 heats - 10:16 AM
Event #7 Women's 100 Meter Butterfly - 6 heats -10:39 AM
Event #8 Men's 100 Meter Butterfly - 6 heats - 10:48 AM

Ryan's events are in bold.  He is in heat 5 of 7, lane 5 for the 100m free and in heat 6 of 6, lane 4 for the 100m fly.

Mesa, Arizona Grand Prix - April 11-13, 2013

It's been almost two months since the Orlando Grand Prix and we finally have the next one coming up in a week....the Mesa, Arizona GP on April 11-13.

The psych sheet can be found here:  USA Swimming - Psych Sheet

Ryan's in the following events.  Let's see if the filming of his reality show interfered with his training or if he had enough in the bank that it didn't make a difference.

100m free - Event #2
100m fly - Event #8

200m free - Event #14
200m back - Event #16

100m breast - Event #24
100m back - Event #26
200m IM - Event #28

Ryan Lochte Withdraws from Sectionals Due to Illness

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/recreation/fl-ryan-lochte-speedo-swim-0317-20130316,0,4724151.story?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=t.co

Ryan Lochte, 28, an 11-time Olympic medalist, withdrew from the meet on Saturday because of illness.

Lochte, who has made several post-Olympic appearances and recently finished an upcoming reality show, called "What Would Ryan Lochte Do?" which makes its debut on the E channel on April 21.

"He just hasn't been feeling that well," said his coach, Mike Harden, who is an assistant coach at the University of Florida. "Ryan's had a lot on his plate. He's been very busy and needed some rest."

Lochte declared a false start for his men's 100-meter backstroke and men's 200-meter IM events on Saturday, and also withdrew from Sunday's 200-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle events.

Lochte, who is scheduled to compete in the Mesa Grand Prix in Phoenix, Ariz., April 11-14, finished second in both of his events on Friday night. He was second in the 200-meter freestyle, with a 1:51.82 clocking, and second in the 100-meter butterfly with a 55.20 time.

"Those performances were right where he is when he is in heavy training," Harden said. "He is going to try and get in a training session [Sunday].

Psych Sheet for Speedo Southern Zone South Sectionals - March 15-17

Psych Sheet

Read about it here:  Swim Swam Article on Speedo South Sectionals

Ryan's events are:

200m Free - Event 8 (Friday)
100m Fly - Event 10 (Friday)

100m Breast - Event 18 (Saturday)
200m IM - Event 20 (Saturday)

100m Free - Event 30 (Sunday)
200m Back - Event 34 (Sunday)

Ryan Murphy, Cesar Cielo, Arkady Vyatchanin and Conor Dwyer will also compete.

Speedo Southern Zone South Sectional Championships - this weekend in Fort Lauderdale

Ryan has attended this meet for the past several years.  I couldn't find a psych sheet for this year's meet, but found the information sheet here:  http://www.szoneswim.com/szlsc/__eventform__/310512_2013%20Speedo%20Champ%20Series%20Meet%20Info%20-%20FINAL%2011-9-12.pdf

The meet is in Fort Lauderdale on Friday-Sunday, March 15-17.

If I find a psych sheet, I will post it.

Rumor: Ryan Lochte scratched all events at this weekend's Florida Senior Championships

Can't blame him for not wanting to go to swim meets two weekends in a row.  Can anyone confirm?

USA Swimming's Mike Gustafson's writes "5 THINGS WE LEARNED DURING THE ARENA GRAND PRIX AT ORLANDO"

Click here:  http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en-US&ItemId=5042&mid=12660

2. Ryan Murphy upsets Ryan Lochte. 
It was a battle of the Ryans: Lochte vs. Murphy. Two Florida-based swimmers battling to be Orlando’s King of Sprint Backstroke. Surprisingly, Murphy came out on top in the 100m distance with a swift 54.9. Talk about a confidence-booster. Lochte’s strongest stroke is the backstroke. For a teenager to upset Lochte near his home turf was a big shocker. “It’s just how to deal with pain and the determination to finish,” Murphy said after the race about finishing hard and surging to the wall. Murphy also pointed out the plethora of talented young backstrokers in the United States – Jack Conger comes to mind – and how it is Murphy's goal to hopefully one day join the United States’ illustrious history of top-level backstrokers. This weekend was a stepping stone towards doing just that. 

1. Ryan Lochte’s Reality Show Overtakes Orlando. 
Before the meet, I said that Ryan Lochte wouldn’t swim that fast because he was most likely enduring some heavy training. Truth is, Ryan Lochte didn’t swim fast because he’s shooting his E! reality show, “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” The relatively grueling and all-encompassing shooting schedule will eat up eight weeks of Ryan Lochte’s training life, which means more time in front of the cameras, and less time in the pool. After the meet, Lochte joked, “[Coach Gregg Troy] calls me yelling at me all the time, threatening to kick me off the team.” But while it’s frustrating to swim enthusiasts that Lochte hasn’t been fully training as hard as he could, at the same time, this reality show opportunity only comes once a blue moon for a swimmer. Ryan Lochte wants to take full advantage of his post-London celebrity. This is the only real time he can afford to take off in the build-up to the 2016 Olympic campaign. Despite the break from the full training schedule, Lochte should still be ready to go by this summer’s World Championships.

Senior Championships in Orlando Florida this weekend

It's back to the Orlando YMCA this weekend for the Florida Senior Championships, a meet Ryan always attends.  Unlike the Orlando Grand Prix, this meet will be in short course yards not meters.  It's also partially an age group meet, so there are separate heats for Boys and Girls age 14-16 and Men's and Women's (age 17 and above).

I've never been to the Orlando YMCA but it always seems so dark in the pool area.  It probably just appears that way in photos and videos.

The meet takes place from February 21-24, but the first day is for the 1000 yard free and the 800 free relays only.  Ryan will be swimming on February 22-24.

You can watch the finals live at Florida Swim Network at 5:30 p.m. EST each day.  This is really great, because in the past it has been really difficult to find information about this meet, much less see the action live!

Florida Swim Network's link to the live stream can be found here:  http://www.floridaswimnetwork.com/watch-senior-champs/

Florida Swim Network's link to the psych sheet is here:  http://www.floridaswimnetwork.com/senior-champ-psych-sheet/

Ryan's events are as follows:

Event 12 - Men's 200y Free (Friday, Feb. 22)
Event 24 - Men's 400y IM (Friday, Feb. 22)
Event 32 - Men's 50y Free (Saturday, Feb. 23)
Event 40 - Men's 100y Back (Saturday, Feb. 23)
Event 54 - Men's 100y Free (Sunday, Feb. 24)

Ryan Lochte is not giving up the 400m IM

According to this article by Paul Newberry of the Associated Press, Ryan is not giving up the 400 IM:

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/lochte-struggles-balance-demands-tv-pool-18526279
(read the whole article at the link)

"I'm really not looking at narrowing down my events," Lochte said. "I'm keeping them all open. I love racing. I'm going to race as many events as I physically can."

Even the 400 individual medley, which he won in London with a dominating performance but hasn't been swimming on the Grand Prix circuit, will likely remain a part of his schedule at major events such as the Olympics and world championships.

"A lot of people are saying that I'm done with the 400 IM," Lochte said. "You know what? I'm still going to swim it. I like the 400 IM, even as much as it hurts, because it's one of the hardest events. I think that's why I like it. I'm going to keep doing the 400 IM. I'm not going to train specifically for it. I'm going to train for the other events. But I will be swimming the 400 IM."

So filming the reality show IS interfering with Ryan's swimming

http://espn.go.com/olympics/swimming/story/_/id/8955451/ryan-lochte-missy-franklin-win-events-arena-grand-prix

http://swimswam.com/lochte-says-reality-show-will-impede-practice-for-8-weeks/

From the ESPN article and Swimswam.com video linked above:

"One thing I can take from this meet is I need to be in the water on a consistent basis," said Lochte, whose show, "What Would Ryan Lochte do," will debut in April on E! Entertainment Television. "Shooting this show, which I love doing -- it's good for the sport -- but I didn't realize they'd be pulling me in different directions all the time, and I haven't really been consistent in the pool."

About the 200 back.....

"What didn't go wrong?" Lochte said. "Off the start, my hands weren't together, I was diving in like an age-grouper, my kick-outs weren't good at all, my strokes were just choppy, I didn't build into each roll, wasn't finishing my kick-out stroke. I don't even know what happened in freestyle."

Gregg Troy isn't happy.....

He estimates he is making about half of his regularly scheduled practices, drawing the ire of coach Gregg Troy.

"Gregg hates it," Lochte said with a grin. "He calls me, yelling at me all the time, threatening to kick me off the team and go somewhere else. I'm like, look, this is for me, just stick with me for eight weeks until we're done shooting this show and then I'll get back into it."

None of this is surprising, and while Ryan's reasons for doing the show (to bring more focus on swimming) are laudable, I hope there's time to fix it before U.S. Nationals in July.  In the big scheme of things, with the prize being the Olympics in 2016, this year doesn't matter.  Still, preparing for the Olympics is a tricky business.  In the lead-up to London, Ryan seemed to peak in 2011 at the World Championships in Shanghai and not in 2012.  The Olympics are a four-year process a bad 2013 could hurt in the long run.  We shall see.

Despite the negative view a lot of people have about reality shows, they are popular.  If done right, the show could make swimming more popular.  It will be very interesting, though, to see how it affects Ryan's swimming.  If he has a bad 2013, will he still be as popular?

Orlando Grand Prix - Saturday Results

200m IM



200m Back

Orlando Grand Prix - Friday Results

100m back

"What Would Ryan Lochte Do" - Ryan Lochte's Realty TV Show Debuts on April 21st on E

Here's an article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal that discusses the show:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130214/SPORTS/130219875/1001?Title=Reality-show-a-full-time-job-right-now-for-Ryan-Lochte

April 21st - mark your calendars

Orlando Grand Prix - Thursday Results

100m Fly



200m Free

Orlando Grand Prix - February 14-16, 2013

This year the February stop on the Grand Prix circuit is in Orlando instead of Missouri.  I always enjoyed the Missouri Grand Prix so here's hoping Orlando can do it justice.  I wonder if Ryan will be swimming in the Senior Championships, also in Orlando and in SCYs, one week later on February 22-24.

Ryan is in 1st place for men in the Grand Prix standings with 31 points.  Missy Franklin is in first place overall with 48 points.

The psych sheet for the Orlando Grand Prix can be found at usaswimming.org, here:  Orlando GP Psych Sheet

Ryan's events are:

Event 2 - Men's 200m free
Event 6 - Men's 100m fly
Event 16 - Men's 100m back
Event 18 - Men's 400m free
Event 25 - Men's 200m IM
Event 27 - Men's 200m back
Event 29 - Men's 100m free

A triple on the final day, should be interesting!

Post Austin GP Analysis

Here are a couple of articles that talk about how Ryan Lochte always swims slower in season than he does at the year's big meet (or meets), which in 2013 would be US Nationals and Worlds in June-July.

Click on the links for the full articles.

Mike Gustafson article - USASwimming.org

3. Ryan Lochte will be ready to go by the World Championships. 
There probably won’t be mid-season world records for Ryan Lochte. Not this year, not next year, and, probably, not ever. That’s because Lochte keeps his eye on the prize. Ryan Lochte’s focus is not on Grand Prix meets. His focus is on the National Championships, the World Championships, and the Olympics. If you remember, Michael Phelps had that similar “championship focus” between 2008-2012. Lochte will endure grueling, puke-in-the-gutter training under Greg Troy throughout the swimming season. He’ll swim relatively off his personal best times throughout the year. Then, at the World Championships, count on Lochte to swim lights-out. That’s just what he does. Fans who are relatively new to the sport of swimming, who started following the sport after last summer’s Olympics, need to understand that Ryan Lochte is just fine, even if he’s not challenging world record times every time he competes. Swimming isn’t like football or basketball where athletes can replicate top performances night after night. Swimming is like climbing a mountain. You reach the apex only once every journey, and it’s a long, treacherous climb. 

Sandra Johnson article - Yahoo.com

Ryan Lochte Doesn't Always Expect to Swim Fast

After years of training under Troy's tutelage, Lochte expects to swim slower times during the season. During the past weekend at the Austin Grand Prix, for example, Lochte won the 200-meter individual medley in a time of 2:00.98. Lochte holds the world record in the same event, and the record of 1:54.00 is nearly seven seconds faster.

Austin Grand Prix - Sunday Results

Ryan tweeted today that he is off to Colorado Springs for a 2-week training camp, presumably at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Austin was a lot of fun, racing and seeing my friends... Now it's off to Colorado Springs for a 2 week training camp! Ugh!
— Ryan Lochte (@ryanlochte) January 21, 2013

Here's how he did in his races on Sunday at the Austin Grand Prix.

100m Breast



200m IM



Over the last several years it has become readily apparent that Ryan swims slow in January because he's in hard training.  This year, however, because it immediately followed the Olympics, it sounds like he took off a bit more time than usual during the holidays.  He still looked tired and that's why I don't think there's any cause to be concerned about slowish times and 4th place finishes.

Austin Grand Prix - Friday and Saturday Results

In typical fashion, Ryan is swimming very tired in January and competing in a Speedo brief, while other swimmers (except his Florida teammates) are wearing jammers.

100m Free

Ryan placed first in the B Final of the 100m free with a time of 51.09.  The A Final was won by Nathan Adrian in a very fast (especially for January) time of 48.32.  Ricky Berens was second with a 49.35 and Jimmy Feigen was third with a 50.01.

B Final  



A Final



100m Fly

It was a close race, but Ryan finished fourth in the 100m fly with a time of 54.14 (Eugene Godsoe first in 53.54, Bobby Bollier second in 53.57 and Dan Madwed third in 53.7 ).



200m Free

Ryan led for 3/4 of the race, but ended up finishing third in the 200m free with a time of 1:50.19.  Ryan really died on the fourth lap.  His split was 29.42 compared to 27.43 and 27.77 on the second and third laps respectively.  (Ricky Berens first in 1:48.39 with a killer turn, Michael Klueh second with a 1:49.48).  It bears repeating:  wow what a third turn by Ricky Berens.  His turns have improved tremendously.



50m Free
Ryan scratched the 50 free, which isn't surprising given that he has no speed right now due to heavy training.

Austin Grand Prix

Interview with Gold Medal Mel of swimswam.com  Watch here http://swimswam.com/ryan-lochte-talks-about-returning-to-competition-in-2013/ or below



I've been out of town for work but will update with a summary of the Austin GP soon.

In-depth interview with Gregg Troy

Gregg Troy is not interviewed enough.  Enjoy:

http://sportscoachradio.com/u-s-mens-swimming-florida-ryan-lochte-coach-gregg-troy/

Austin Grand Prix - January 18-20, 2013

The Austin Grand Prix takes place in - where else - Austin, Texas at the University of Texas pool.  I've been to this meet twice in the past three years and it is a good one.  Too bad I can't go this year because I now know exactly how to get there, where to park, etc. (although, I must admit to never being able to figure out where the awards are presented).

The meet is LC meters.  I was worried that this year's event would not be as popular as last year's given that it is no longer an Olympic year.  Boy was I wrong.  This meet will have tons of Olympians:  Missy Franklin, Amanda Weir, Nathan Adrian, Jimmy Feigen, Garrett Weber-Gale, Matt Grevers, Ricky Berens, Anthony Ervin, Clark Burckle, Mike Alexandrov, Ous Mellouli, Chloe Sutton, Kate Ziegler, Conor Dwyer, Charlie Houchin, Tyler Clary, Ryan Cochrane, Mads Glaesner, Arkady Vyatchanin, Mark Gangloff and of course Ryan Lochte.  I probably missed a couple.

The psych sheet can be found here: Austin GP Psych Sheet

Here are Ryan's events:

100m free (Event 2)
100m fly (Event 8)
200m free (Event 14)
50m free (Event 18)
100m breast!! (Event 24)
200m IM (Event 28)

2013 Worlds Barcelona Schedule Announced

Read it at swimmingworldmagazine.com here:  http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/Commentary/33088.asp

Seven events I believe Ryan is most likely to swim are highlighted:

Day 1: Sunday, July 28 
-women's 100 fly semifinals 
-men's 400 free final 
-women's 200 IM semifinals 
-men's 50 fly semifinals 
-women's 400 free final (Swum on day two at Olympics) 
-men's 100 breast semifinals 
-women's 400 Free Relay final 
-men's 400 Free Relay final (Swum on day two at Olympics) 

Day 2: Monday, July 29 
-men's 100 breast final 
-women's 100 fly final 
-men's 100 back semifinals 
-women's 100 breast semifinals 
-men's 50 fly final 
-women's 100 back semifinals 
-men's 200 free semifinals 
-women's 200 IM final (Swum on day four at Olympics) 

Day 3: Tuesday, July 30 
-men's 200 free final 
-women's 100 back final 
-men's 50 breast semifinals 
-women's 1500 free final 
-men's 100 back final 
-women's 200 free semifinals 
-men's 200 fly semifinals 
-women's 100 breast final 

Day 4: Wednesday, July 31 
-men's 100 free semifinals 
-women's 50 back semifinals 
-men's 200 fly final 
-women's 200 free final 
-men's 50 breast final 
-women's 200 fly semifinals 
-men's 200 IM semifinals 
-men's 800 free final 

Day 5: Thursday, August 1 
-women's 100 free semifinals 
-men's 200 IM final (Swum on day six at Olympics) 
-women's 200 breast semifinals 
-men's 100 free final 
-women's 200 fly final 
-men's 200 breast semifinals 
-women's 50 back final 
-men's 200 back semifinals 
-women's 800 Free Relay final 

Day 6: Friday, August 2 
-women's 100 free final 
-men's 200 back final 
-women's 200 back semifinals 
-men's 50 free semifinals 
-women's 200 breast final 
-men's 100 fly semifinals 
-women's 50 fly semifinals 
-men's 200 breast final (Swum on day five at Olympics) 
-men's 800 Free Relay final (Swum on day four at Olympics) 

Day 7: Saturday, August 3 
-women's 50 fly final 
-men's 50 free final 
-women's 200 back final 
-women's 50 breast semifinals 
-men's 100 fly final 
-women's 50 free semifinals 
-men's 50 back semifinals 
-women's 800 free final 

Day 8: Saturday, August 4 
-men's 50 back final 
-women's 50 breast final 
-men's 400 IM final (Swum on day one at Olympics) 
-women's 50 free final 
-men's 1500 free final 
-women's 400 IM final (Swum on day one at Olympics) 
-men's 400 Medley Relay final 
-women's 400 Medley Relay final