Ryan Lochte Swimming

TV4 Sport Sweden - Interview with Ryan Lochte

2012-02-06T14:03:00.000-06:00

Austin Grand Prix results

2012-01-16T01:20:00.002-06:00

Interview

100m free - 7th in "B" final, 15th overall - 50.58

400m free - 4th in "B" final, 12th overall - 3:58.08

200m free - 5th in "A" final, 5th overall - 1:50.45

200m back - 3rd in "A" final, 3rd overall - 1:59.53

100m back - 6th in "A" final, 6th overall - 56.47

200m IM - 2nd in "A" final, 2nd overall - 2:00.30

Austin Grand Prix - January 13-15, 2012

2012-01-01T21:12:00.004-06:00

Psych sheet can be found here: http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/218860f2-09d3-4ac1-982e-ac98965730f2/psych.pdf

Here are Ryan's events.

Event 2 - 100m free

Event 6 - 400m free

Event 14 - 200m free

Event 16 - 200m back

Event 26 - 100m back

Event 28 - 200m IM

Can tell the Olympic year is finally here. All the big names will be at this meet. I may go on Saturday!

Universal Sports - Male Athlete of 2011

2012-01-01T21:07:00.002-06:00

http://www.universalsports.com/news-blogs/blogs/blog=splashed/postid=573134.html#male+athlete+2011+ryan+lochte

Male Athlete of 2011: Swimmer Ryan Lochte

By Jason Devaney, Universal Sports

When thinking about U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, a few things come to mind.

"He's better than Michael Phelps."

"He'll win six gold medals at the London Olympics."

"I'm starting from scratch and I have to work my way up to get back up to the top," Lochte told us at November's Golden Goggles, where he won two awards. "I think that's what I've been doing for years now and I think that's what motivates me, keeps me going every day when I go to practice." But regardless of what Lochte accomplished in 2011 - five gold medals at the World Championships was the highlight - he still sees himself at the bottom of the pool.

Lochte's 2011 resume also included a world-record swim in the 200m IM at the Shanghai World Championships. For all the success he had in the pool, Lochte is Universal Sports' 2011 Male Athlete of the Year. Click here for highlights of Lochte's season, or see the video to the right.

The aforementioned swim was the first long course world record to fall since the advent of FINA's new swimsuit rules at the start of 2010. And two of Lochte's victories at the Worlds were in head-to-head battles with Phelps, who finished second in both (200m IM,200m freestyle).

Lochte showed the world in 2010 that he was the top dog in the water by winning six races at the Pan-Pacific Championships; he cemented that in 2011. Lochte has said that 2008 was not his year ... so after watching his American rival Phelps - the two are close friends - fly home with eight gold medals around his neck he decided it was time to buckle down.

And now with London just seven months away, Lochte is ready to prove himself on sport's biggest stage.

"This year is my year," he said. "I'm putting everything I have to swim this year and I'm not gonna mess it up."

Sports Illustrated - Sports Figures to Watch in 2012

2011-12-29T13:51:00.001-06:00

Sports Figures to Watch in 2012

Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps

Phelps vs. Lochte will be the water-cooler debate going into the London Olympics. The world's two best swimmers should go head to head in two events -- the 200-meter freestyle and the 200 individual medley. Phelps is the defending Olympic champion in both, but Lochte won both world titles this year, becoming the alpha male of the pool in the process. Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, feed on any form of motivation they can find. You can bet Phelps is reminded daily about those two losses at worlds, where Lochte needed two personal bests to win by a combined half-second. Phelps said he wasn't in peak shape at that meet, but we also don't know if Lochte has reached his limit yet.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1112/sports-figures-watch-2012/content.1.html#ixzz1hxGtIGkr

Love that Laszlo Cseh swam in the Duel just to race Ryan

2011-12-19T21:30:00.002-06:00

and maybe Tyler Clary too.

Against the Tide - Ed Moses Documentary Episode 5

2011-12-19T21:10:00.001-06:00

This was a really good series. Shows just how difficult this sport is.

Against the Tide - Ed Moses Documentary Episodes 1-4

2011-12-18T13:24:00.004-06:00

This is really interesting. Watch Episodes 1-4 below:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

New York Times article on Laszlo Cseh and his rivalry with Phelps and Lochte

2011-12-18T12:41:00.001-06:00

Laszlo Cseh Uses Silver as a Steppingstone

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/sports/laszlo-cseh-uses-silver-as-a-steppingstone-swimming.html

By KAREN CROUSE

ATLANTA — The wake-up call on Laszlo Cseh’s phone will not let him snooze. When he is tired from travel, fatigued from training, or drained from his Sisyphean pursuit of Michael Phelps, he cues a video of the 200-meter butterfly final at the 2008 Olympics, which he downloaded upon returning home from Beijing.

“Sometimes when I go to training in the morning and I get tired or I want to sleep more and I feel I need some boost, I watch it,” Cseh said. He added, “I watch it a lot of times.”

Cseh, of Hungary, finished second in the 200 butterfly and in the 200 and 400 individual medleys at the Beijing Games, touched out each time by Phelps. It was a familiar scene. Since 2003, Cseh has won nine individual world championship medals but only one gold, as Phelps and, more recently, Ryan Lochte have foiled his goal of world domination.

Like tennis players who have come of age in the era of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Cseh has pondered the question of whether it is the worst of timing or the best.

“I think a lot about that,” Cseh said. “Maybe if there is no Phelps, no Lochte, I’m not as good. They make me better and the other swimmers better because of how fast they are swimming.”

Cseh won three events last weekend at the European short-course championships in Poland, then traveled to the United States, motivated by the promise of racing Lochte here on Friday and Saturday at the Duel in the Pool. Cseh was a member of the European contingent, which took on an American squad that was missing Phelps, who skipped the event.

The rivals converged on Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, the site of the 1996 Olympic competition, from different places in their preparation for next summer’s London Olympics. Cseh did not expect to be sharp because he was coming off a week of high-intensity racing. Lochte was dragging because he was in the midst of high-intensity training. He warmed up for his first events Friday with a 6,000-meter workout.

Their showdown in the 400 individual medley on Friday was the swimming equivalent of a first-round knockout, with Cseh falling behind both Lochte and the American Tyler Clary on the butterfly leg on his way to finishing over a body-length behind Lochte (3 minutes 59.52 seconds) and Clary (4:00.35).

At the Beijing Olympics, Cseh swam the freestyle leg of the 400 individual medley two seconds faster than Lochte to pass him in the final 100 meters. After the race, Phelps washed his hands of the grueling event, saying he was through competing in it. Cseh could see the sky clearing, but then a giant cloud rolled in. Lochte medaled in six events at the world championships this July in Shanghai and would appear to be primed for a peak performance in London.

“In Beijing, Phelps said, ‘I quit the 400 I.M.,’ and after he said that, Ryan’s beating everyone in every stroke,” Cseh said. “So it’s going to be really hard. But I think that’s O.K.”

Cseh, 26, is not the first in his family to swim in a superstar’s heavy wake. His father, Laszlo Sr., was a backstroker who competed in the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics against Roland Matthes, an East German who did not lose a backstroke race from 1967 to 1974.

“I know about that,” Cseh said, “but I don’t talk about it with my father.”

Matthes’s unbeaten streak was snapped at a duel meet in Northern California by the American John Naber, who also ended Matthes’s two-Olympic reign as the backstroke king at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal.

Naber’s strategy for dethroning Matthes was to stop chasing him.

“The only way I could imagine beating Roland was to think how fast did I believe he was going to swim and race the clock,” Naber said in a telephone interview. “That way I was just racing an impersonal, dispassionate number and not the Iceman, which is how I considered Roland because he was impenetrable and very resourceful.”

The time Naber set as his goal in the 100 backstroke, he said, was 55.50 seconds. He captured the Olympic gold medal in Montreal with a clocking of 55.49.

In Beijing, Cseh described Phelps as unbeatable and said, “Anytime you think you can get close to Michael Phelps, he jumps to another level.”

Cseh says now that he was not conceding defeat but merely stating the obvious.

“Michael was so great in Beijing,” he said. “I don’t think I lost something there. I feel every race I won the silver.”

When Cseh replays the 200 butterfly final, he sees not only the 0.67-second margin of defeat, but also the gains to be made. He was faster on the third 50 than Phelps, but frittered away too many fractions of a second on the walls. His focus since Beijing, he said, has been on fine-tuning his stroke and his turns.

“I work on improving my underwater kicks,” Cseh said, “and becoming more efficient in my technique so I get less tired.”

Phelps is expected to retire after next year, but Cseh said he had not ruled out swimming through the 2016 Olympics. He has been a fixture on the international scene since he won a silver medal in the 400 I.M. at the 2003 world championships. A year later, Cseh broke his foot during a training camp before the 2004 Olympics and managed a bronze medal in the 400 I.M., behind two Americans: Phelps and Erik Vendt.

The injury seemed unfortunate at the time, but Cseh sees it differently now.

“Maybe if I had the world record in 2003 or 2004 or won the gold medal, I don’t have the feeling that I need to improve myself,” he said. “It has been a long time, but I’m still here. Maybe the training is a little harder, but I feel I’m getting better as I get older.”

Duel in the Pool - Interview after Day 2

2011-12-18T00:25:00.001-06:00

Great article about Ryan Lochte by Jan Engel

2011-12-17T13:28:00.002-06:00

By Jen Engel

http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/lochte_ready_for_his_own_olympic_glory/8791672?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

No one gets in the face of sports greatness anymore, pokes it in the chest and says "I am coming for you." It's too hard. It's too scary and it is so much easier to say appropriately deferential things before and lose graciously and hug afterward.

Well almost no one, I should say. A few still dare to tug on Superman's cape.

Which is why in December, in the meat of the NFL season, I am in Atlanta. I am here to watch the most interesting man in the swimming world. At least he is to me. This disclaimer is necessary because I am not talking about Michael Phelps, the most accomplished man in swimming, the biggest name and quite possibly still the greatest swimmer going at the moment.

But Phelps is not in Atlanta. There are theories as to why he has been a little reclusive on the pre-2012 London Olympic slate, but really, there's just one reason. And his name is Ryan Lochte. And he is why I am in Atlanta in the middle of football season.

So most of you are having one of these three reactions:

1. Can you believe what Lochte did in Shanghai at the World Championships?
2. Lochte is a swimmer, right?
3. Who in the hell is Ryan Lochte? And why is this chick writing about him during football season?

For those in Groups 2 and 3, Lochte is kind of like Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He is in the midst of this amazing run. Nobody is playing any better, but all anybody can talk about is Tim Tebow. Just sub in swimming for playing and Phelps for Tebow and this is Lochte's life. Nobody is performing any better and still his professional life is in marked by contrasts to his frenemisis.

What if Phelps were here?

Can you beat Phelps?

Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps.

"All I can say is it's my time," Lochte said to a small group of reporters at The Duel in the Pool late Friday.

This says a lot, actually. He is for sure tugging on Superman's cape. Because one theory is Phelps was so annoyed and angry after Lochte kind of, sort of totally kicked his butt and rubbed his face in it in Shanghai that he has sequestered himself at Phelps HQ devising a plan on how to make Lochte pay. In fact, a BBC radio reporter in from London asked this very question. There is something about the British accent, especially on a male, that allows them to say almost anything and it not sound antagonistic. So when he proposed the angry Phelps revenge scenario it brought a smile to Lochte's face.

"I hope so," Lochte said, a little devilishly.

"I know he wasn't happy after Shanghai. So I know he's in the pool training hard and that's a little motivation for me," he continued. "I have to train even harder. I have to find different ways to get faster. I know he's training his butt off and I got to do the same."

My first thought is hell yeah. My second? It's about time.

Four years ago in Beijing, the whole USA Swimming contingent seemed to be a Phelps entourage. This wasn't all their fault. They would get out of the pool, male or female, win or lose, world record or gold medal, it did not matter. We'd ask them about Phelps -- his fatigue level, what he ate for breakfast, what being a part of his Olympics was like. I know. I was there. What he did four years ago in Beijing, winning a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics, is the most amazing sporting achievement I have ever witnessed live. I can still see Jason Lezak coming back in that relay to preserve eight for him.

As good as Phelps is for swimming, the sport needs Lochte.

Beijing was spectacular for this very Hemmingway man-vs.-himself battle that Phelps had going on. The best of sport, though, is when the competition comes from another. And Phelps-Lochte is shaping up to be the best showdown in London. This time around there will be two people in the pool that good, two people with goals.

"There is no way around it. The big talk of 2012 is going to be me and Michael," Lochte said. "I put myself in that kind of position where I've gotten a lot faster since 2008 and I'm able to race the world's greatest swimmer and it's an honor to be racing against him and being on the same team and same pool as him. … Hands down, and I'll say this over and over and over, Michael Phelps is the world's greatest swimmer."

And while Lochte did not go there, saying instead he'd "leave that up to you guys," this adage is most definitely true. If Lochte somehow brings down Phelps in London, he will be the best. He was not ready in Beijing, not really ready. And he might not be this time either. He said he cleaned up stuff in his personal life, some issues that were stressing him. It sounded very much like girl trouble, but it is not really any of our business. What is our business is if he can do what nobody seems to do well in sports anymore -- take on a phenomenon and win.

"A lot of people say that after the last two to three years what I have accomplished ... people say I am the new Michael," Lochte said. "For me, it goes through one ear and out the other.

"For me, as far as I'm concerned, last year never happened. I mean, I'm over it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm at the bottom."

The truth is Lochte probably does not have a good chance now. Phelps is the greatest swimmer ever and now, after Shanghai, he is probably training like Rocky in Rocky 4, in some barn in Russia while running with rocks up a mountain. This is why this idea they are somehow BFFs is preposterous. There is some good sports animosity here. You get in a pool to race at this level without the desire to win crawling under your skin, the thought of finishing second even to a friend churning your insides around. I wouldn't respect either if it was any other way.

There is a difference between being a good sport and a good loser.

And there is a difference between being part of the entourage and being the competition.

Because in a parallel universe, Lochte is the guy we are talking about Tebow-style. He is talented, good looking, laid back, a dream pitch man. But much like playing ball in the era of Jordan or excelling in the NFL right now during Tebowmania, it is easy to get lost battling a phenomenon.

And this is why I am in Atlanta, because the most interesting man in swimming is the guy who thinks he can take it on and win.

Interview with Ryan after Friday night's Duel in the Pool

2011-12-17T09:10:00.001-06:00

Some different questions.

Ryan wins the 400m IM and the 200m back at Duel in the Pool

2011-12-16T20:59:00.002-06:00

What an impressive double, especially unrested. Enjoy.

More Duel in the Pool

2011-12-15T18:43:00.001-06:00

From Mike Gustafson at USASwimming.org: http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=4027&mid=9874

4. Will Ryan Lochte Rest?
If I held a magic 8-ball and asked him this question, my guess is the response would be, “All sources point to no.” Ryan Lochte is the best swimmer in the world, no doubts about it. But a few weeks ago at the AT&T Winter National Championships, Lochte looked awfully tired. You can bet Lochte’s coach Greg Troy is working Lochte like a dog, preparing him for the Olympic Trials. Still, the Duel in the Pool will have some significant media coverage and will be broadcast live on TV. Will Lochte rest? Or even skip a morning workout for a day? Or will he get beat in International competition, and then have to answer a barrage of questions like: “Ryan! Are you worried! Did something happen! Are you hurt!” No. He’s training for the Olympics.

AP/Sports Illustrated Article on Duel in the Pool

2011-12-15T16:45:00.000-06:00

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/12/15/Duel-in-the-Pool.ap/index.html

ATLANTA (AP) -- Duel in the Pool? More like Slaughter in the Water.

The United States hasn't come close to losing one of these every-other-year dual meets since they were launched in 2003 as a way to build interest in swimming during non-Olympic years.

Even with Michael Phelps back home in Baltimore, focusing on training for next summer's London Games, Brendan Hansen doesn't expect anything to change when the powerful Americans take on a European all-star team Friday and Saturday at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center.

"It's hard for me to believe we can lose the way this team feeds off each other," Hansen said after a practice session Thursday morning at the same pool that hosted the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. "When we start rolling at a meet like this, it's a slippery slope. The meet is over a lot sooner than you think, then we're just racing each other."

USA Swimming has assembled a daunting group that features Ryan Lochte - the star of this year's world championships - along with Olympic gold medalists Hansen, Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni, Dana Vollmer and Amanda Beard. The next wave of American stars is led by 16-year-old Missy Franklin, who captured three golds and five medals overall at worlds.

"You need those people who've been to the Olympics, who've been on the podium," Coughlin said. "But you also need those youngsters, who are so excited just to be there."

The Europeans faced a challenge assembling a competitive team, given all the politics and differing objectives of the various national federations. Germany and Russia contributed only one swimmer apiece, and the powerhouse French squad isn't participating at all.

Still, there's quite a mix - 41 swimmers from 18 nations, including world champions Daniel Gyurta of Hungary and Lotte Friis and Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark.

"Try having a team meeting," quipped Markus Rogan, a two-time Olympian from Austria. "It's very interesting, communications-wise."

The Americans easily beat Australia at the first three duels, then routed a European team 185-78 two years ago.

"Even though we don't even know everybody's name, we all have a common goal," Rogan said. "Everybody wants to beat the Americans."

British star Gemma Spofforth predicts the score will be a lot tighter than past years, since so many of her teammates are coming off the European short-course championships. The same format will be used at Georgia Tech, where a giant grandstand has been erected over the half of the full-length pool that won't be used.

"It looks like a lot of the Europeans are in top shape and ready to go fast," she said. "I think it's going to be very, very close. Someone who finishes third or fourth could make the difference."

By comparison, most of the Americans are in the midst of rigorous training regimens, so they won't be in their best racing form. Lochte swam a staggering 6,000 meters during his practice session Thursday - a routine that is geared toward having him in top form for London, not Atlanta.

"I don't know what to expect," he said. "But it's a great opportunity to race, no matter what condition I'm in."

Phelps passed on the chance to race in Atlanta. His coach, Bob Bowman, said the 14-time Olympic gold medalist was best served finishing out the year training at home and taking part in one local meet, given a busy fall schedule that included two European meets and high-altitude training in Colorado.

At worlds, Lochte surpassed Phelps as the world's most dominant swimmer, beating his fellow American in their two head-to-head races. But, much like any golf tournament that doesn't include Tiger Woods, the absence of Phelps takes some of the luster off this meet.

"I would like for him to be here, to be with the team," Hansen said. "There's a lot of things he can do to help the team. I'm not talking about when he's on the blocks, but the things he can do just being part of a dual meet. He didn't go to college. I would think he would want to be part of as many dual meets as he could."

Lochte, too, wishes Phelps had decided to compete in Atlanta. Even though they would've been racing for the same team, it would've been another chance to set the table for their expected Olympic showdown in London, likely to be one of the biggest story lines of the 2012 Games.

But Lochte can't concern himself with Phelps' schedule. There's plenty of work to do between now and the Olympics.

"Obviously, I hope everyone will start talking about me," Lochte said. "But it's too early to tell. We've still got six or seven months until the games."

Spofforth, who trains with Lochte, predicts he'll be the biggest swimming star in London - not just because of his steely focus in the water, but the carefree way he carries himself on dry land.

"Everyone wants to be like Ryan," Spofforth said. "I believe he's got that edge. And there's just something about him that makes everyone like him."

Duel in the Pool - Friday & Saturday December 16-17

2011-12-15T13:00:00.004-06:00

Duel in the Pool starts tomorrow night. It's a short course meters meet with the US all-stars against European all-stars, including my favorite European swimmer, Lazslo Cseh! I love SC meters because it is so fast and different and rarely swum in the U.S. It should be a very exciting and fan-friendly format. In the U.S., you can watch live on Universal Sports on Friday night and on NBC on Saturday. I'll post links tomorrow.

Ryan Lochte always does well in short-course meets, but is not rested! I read on this blog that Ryan had a 6,000m practice today! http://www.dailymile.com/people/mikebuteau/entries/11513294

Last year at this time Ryan swam at the Short Course Worlds half rested and set two world records. I don't think we can expect any world records this time with Ryan being unrested, but you never know.

As soon as I find out what events Ryan is swimming I will post them.

Here is an interesting video conversation between Ryan and Michael Phelps discussing the sport of swimming.

Ryan Lochte on Morning Swim Show

2011-12-09T05:01:00.002-06:00

Gregg Troy, Teri McKeever on Olympic relays, new suits and more - Nick Zaccardi - SI.com

2011-12-06T23:23:00.000-06:00

Gregg Troy, Teri McKeever on Olympic relays, new suits and more - Nick Zaccardi - SI.com

By Nick Zacarrdi

In December 2010, USA Swimming named Gregg Troy and Teri McKeever its national team coaches through the London Olympics. Troy, who coaches the University of Florida and Ryan Lochte, heads the men's team, while McKeever, the coach of the University of California and Natalie Coughlin, leads the women as the organization's first female Olympic head coach. At the USA Swimming Winter Nationals, Troy and McKeever shared their outlook for their teams at the London Games, as well as for their superstar swimmers.

GREGG TROY

Gregg Troy, head coach of the U.S. swimming men's national team, won USA Swimming Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

Kyle Terada/US PRESSWIRE

SI.com: As the head coach, you will be most scrutinized for selecting Olympic relay teams. What considerations will you take into it?

Troy: Fortunately, I'll have four other staff members on the men's side, and actually the goal for the women's and men's staff -- Teri and I have talked a little bit about it -- is to co-mingle. There are a lot of coaches that work with both males and females, so we're going to have some other staff to rely on. We'll certainly look at history and guys that have experience at that level. The fastest person is usually the best way to go. By the same token, there's a context there that none of the relay spots are assured, so we're going to go with the hottest hand. If you get a Michael Phelps who may not have swum the [individual] 100 freestyle, but he's swimming everything else well, you can pretty much rest assured he's one of the best 100 freestylers in the world. I'll look at experience, and at the same time, the hottest guys who are ready to go.

SI.com: You had a tough relay situation this year. In retrospect, should Ryan Lochte have been on the 4x100-meter freestyle relay at this year's world championships [that took bronze without him]?

Troy: I don't know. It's kind of one of those calls. It was the first event of the meet, and he's not classically a 100 freestyler. In retrospect, when you saw the 200 free [where Lochte beat Phelps] and everything else [Lochte's five gold medals and a world record], maybe it was a case that he was a hot-hand guy, but unfortunately he hadn't shown it yet at that point. We've got a lot of things to look at next year.

SI.com: What will go into the process of choosing the events that Lochte swims at June's Olympic trials?

Troy: First off, we want to look at where we feel like he can be most successful. We'll take the events where we feel that he has the greatest opportunity for success, the ones that come comfortable for him, and we'll start there. Then, we'll take a look at the program at the trials and what we feel like we can actually make the team in. From there, you've got to sit down. Even though the trials are the same format as the Olympics, there's more media, the ready room you have to go to, all those timelines are different. Quite frankly, I'm not sure I did a very good job handling that in 2008 [when Lochte won two golds and two bronzes in three individual races and one relay].

SI.com: What about swimming two Olympic finals in one night?

Troy: There's a difference between a hard double and an impossible double. We've never approached anything that's impossible, but some of them might be hard enough that it impacts other events. We're not in a dynamic where we're trying to win X number of medals. We're going to put ourselves in the best position to be as good as we can as often as possible.

SI.com: Phelps made the 2004 Olympic team in the 200 backstroke and opted not to swim the event at the Olympics with his schedule being so busy. Could Ryan do something similar?

Troy: That's a definite possibility if we feel that the trials give us flexibility. In 2008, we swam the 100 freestyle [at trials] and made the final but chose not to swim the final, which probably impacted us [not] being on the relay.

I think the program falls a little bit better for Michael than it does for Ryan. Ryan's doubles are a whole lot [for him to swim]. The 200 IM-200 backstroke double is just extremely tough. The final for each event is the same day, so it's not like you're comparing a final to a semi on the same day, where he can save a little bit of energy. He's going two full-out efforts.

SI.com: Everybody remembers how exciting the 4x100 freestyle relay was in Beijing with Jason Lezak's anchor. How do you see that relay playing out next year?

Troy: There are a lot of countries. [2004 Olympic champion] South Africa can swim a great 4x100 freestyle relay. I think that the Chinese, while it hasn't been good for them in the past, you can see them getting a little bit better. Certainly, the [2011 world champion] Australians have a great group, the [2008 Olympic silver medalists] French are still the same. We've got a great nucleus in the U.S., and that's where that relay selection becomes key. We've got to get four guys on their numbers at the right time, and no one can be off. Any country that has everyone on is in the ballpark.

SI.com: What were the positives and negatives coming out of the year before the Olympics? Many are concerned about the breaststroke, where no man medaled at the world championships.

Troy: We're a little bit long in the tooth [in the breaststroke]. They're a little bit older [Brendan Hansen, 30, and Mark Gangloff, 29, among others], but they're also very experienced. So we have to get better there. The 4x100 freestyle relay, I think we've got to get all the guys firing on the same cylinders.

The best thing I saw last summer is it seems that Michael is back on track, really interested and hungry. When Michael is hungry and on top of it, he's the best. Ryan's an extremely good athlete, but there are also other guys that are stepping up the whole way around.

TERI MCKEEVER

Teri McKeever, head coach of Cal-Berkeley's women's program, won Pac-10 Coach of the Year for the fourth time in 2011.

Phil Carter/US PRESSWIRE

SI.com: There will be pressure to pick out the right athletes for the women's relays at the Olympics. What is your philosophy?

McKeever: You want to go with the hot hand. Obviously, with our trials leading up to it, we have a good indication of where people are. If a tough decision has to be made, I've been fortunate enough in the last 10 years to be on various national team staffs. You rely on your past experience and your assistant coaches to make the best decision possible ... and then deal with the consequences (laughs).

SI.com: The women's duels have been primarily the U.S. against Australia at the last few Olympics. Do you see that changing?

McKeever: That is the natural rivalry, especially when you combine men and women. But I think you've got to look at what the Chinese are doing on the women's side [second to the U.S. with nine medals at 2011 worlds]. I think the Dutch have had amazing sprinters and are doing a great job in that. The Italians, the French. The world is bigger. It's not just us and Australia anymore.

SI.com: The Lochte-Phelps dynamic is big, but the women may have a deeper team. Which storylines should everybody be watching?

McKeever: I think everybody likes the young darling, and what Missy Franklin is doing [five world championship medals, 2011 FINA World Swimmer of the Year at age 16] is obviously exceptional and drawing a lot of attention. I think she's a young woman that's going to play an integral part in the team performance. I think Natalie's veteran leadership and what she's been able to do at the last two Olympic Games [11 combined medals] are invaluable. Someone like Amanda Beard, what she's done, and this would be her fifth Olympics. I think [2011 Swimming World Swimmer of the Year] Rebecca Soni is an awesome story, came into Beijing and really dominated and has dominated the world stage in breaststroke [sweeping the 100 and 200 at 2011 worlds]. And I think Dara Torres [trying to make her sixth Olympic team at age 45] entails a whole other audience. You've got a little bit of everything. We're going to hit all the demographics.

SI.com: Hypothetical situation -- Say Dara Torres only swims the 50 free at trials. Would she still have a shot at being on your 4x100 freestyle relay team in London?

McKeever: I think everyone on the Olympic team has a shot, but I think there would have to be some assurances, a pretty good idea of what she could do in the 100. We know what she did four years ago [anchoring the Olympic relay to silver], but that was a long time ago. Where are the other women that have qualified for that relay? Are they all really close, or is there a big drop off and we need something special? There are a lot of different scenarios, but you definitely would have to consider it. I think a good coaching staff is going to consider all your options.

SI.com: What is your reaction to Speedo's new suits, caps and goggles?

McKeever: There are some people that have said the suits aren't going to be an issue. I think the suits are always going to be an issue from here on out. This was going to happen again. New people are going to come out with new things. Technology is a part of our sport now, and it will be interesting to see how FINA legislates some of it. That [Speedo] suit system is going to aid performance, and that's what their job is, to create a product that is going to help us swim faster within the current rules. I think the whole cap-and-goggles thing [new designs also expected to shave precious fractions of a second] totally makes sense to me. It's showing our sport is gaining notoriety and exposure, and people are spending money on research to figure out the subtleties of where we might be able to take time off. When I swam 30, 40 years ago, it was like, you shave and you're going to be faster. That seems so elementary compared to what we're doing now.

SI.com: Now a veteran, how is Natalie Coughlin preparing differently for her third Games?

McKeever: She's been swimming for 23, 24 years. Your body's different. You're in a different place mentally, emotionally. She's married now. My job as her coach is to keep growing and changing her program with where she is in her life.

I know this is going to sound crazy to people, but it's not like we have a time goal or a medal goal or whatever, it's just about how do we keep helping Natalie be better than Natalie's ever been. That's what we focus on every day. Where that leads us is hopefully the right place. That said, she's won more [combined] Olympic medals and world championship medals than any other female. She's right there with number of Olympic medals with Jenny Thompson and Dara [who both hold the U.S. record for women Olympians with 12, while Coughlin has 11]. Those things I think are important from a legacy perspective, and probably, candidly, from a marketing perspective.

SI.com: What is the nightmare scenario for a national team coach at the Olympics?

McKeever: The worst thing would probably be filling out the relay card wrong, and they get disqualified after they've won the gold medal and broken the world record. That would be pretty bad. I'd go down in history (laughs).

Sports Illustrated Olympics Preview

2011-12-06T22:51:00.001-06:00

AT&T Winter Nationals - Days 1 and 2

2011-12-03T06:54:00.003-06:00

Here are Ryan's results from Days 1 and 2 of Winter Nationals:

Day 1

400m free - 4:03.87 (45th place)

200m IM - 2:01.42 (6th place - A final)

Day 2

400m IM - 4:20.05 (5th place - A final)

100m back - 56.21 (4th place - B final)

Last day of the meet today!

Ryan Lochte's hard work, dedication brings success in 2011 - Sportsman of the Year - SI.com

2011-11-29T23:23:00.001-06:00

Ryan Lochte's hard work, dedication brings success in 2011 - Sportsman of the Year - SI.com

By Kelli Anderson

Sports Illustrated will announce its choice for Sportsman of the Year on Dec. 6. Here's one of the nominations for that honor by an SI writer.

It's no surprise Ryan Lochte was the first swimmer to break a long-course world record since the high-tech buoyancy suit era ended nearly two years ago; during that time, records fell so hard and so fast that people thought it would take decades for anyone to touch them.

Lochte doesn't listen much to conventional thinking. In fact, Lochte doesn't do conventional anything. Let's put aside his pool-deck fashion sensibilities -- the blinged-out green "Martian" high-tops with "Ryan" and "Lochte" molded into the soles, which leave a distinct if ephemeral imprint as he walks the wet pool deck; the hip-hop fedoras; the t-shirts that say "hukt on fonix wurkt 4 me" or "Google me"; the pink Speedo that moved one 17-year-old fan at the June Santa Clara meet to marvel, "The guy's got swagger for days."

Consider how Lochte conducts himself IN the pool: imagine you're a professional swimmer and you get beaten in your best events, over and over again. By the same guy. And that guy is Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer in history. You step on the blocks. Phelps' condor-length arms go through their flapping, slapping routine -- a chilling sound to most competitors -- but you don't hear it. You lock in, you race your heart out, you lose. Twenty times in seven years. After each defeat you say, "Good race," and return to your home pool to get stronger, faster, tougher.

How many people would have thrown in the towel and said, "He's the best, I'm not as good and never will be," and moved on to a path of less resistance? Plenty, it turns out. "There are a lot of people Michael has come up against who've tried a few times to beat him and found it impossible," says Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman. "And they just gave up. But not Ryan. That had to be tremendously hard to keep plugging away."

Lochte's dogged work in the pool, in the weight room, and in his trainer's garage, where he has spent hours whipping heavy ropes and tossing tractor tires, paid off this summer when he won five gold medals at the World Championships in Shanghai, beating the once invincible Phelps twice in the process. For his unfailing belief in himself, for his perseverance, and for giving us all a great storyline to look forward to at the London Games next summer, I nominate Ryan Lochte for Sportsman of the Year.

History might record that last summer was Lochte's breakout season: after losing head-to-head to Phelps in the 200 and 400 meter individual medleys 20 straight times in major long-course races over seven years, Lochte finally beat him in the 200 meter IM at last summer's Nationals in Irvine, Calif. But winning on the world stage is a different challenge.

At the world swimming championships in Shanghai, Lochte first took on an all-star 200 meter freestyle field that included Olympic champion Phelps and world-record holder Paul Biedermann of Germany. A distance swimmer by background, Lochte won the race by hanging with the faster-starting Phelps for the first 100 and powering through the final 100. Coming into the second turn in third place behind Phelps and Russian Nikita Lobintsev, Lochte burst off the wall to pull into the lead before touching in 1:44.44, .35 seconds ahead of Phelps and .44 ahead of third-place Biedermann.

Two days later, he topped that in the 200 IM, taking the lead after the butterfly leg and hanging on as Phelps closed in on the final freestyle lap. Lochte touched the wall in 1:54.00, a tenth of a second faster than the world record he set at Worlds in Rome in 2009 in a high-tech suit. Phelps, who had set the eight previous world records in the event, finished in a personal best of 1:54.16.

"I wanted to do something that everyone thought was impossible," said Lochte afterward. "Since they banned those suits, everyone thought a world record would never get touched again."

On the meet's sixth day, Lochte won two more golds, leading from start to finish in the 200 backstroke before rescuing the USA's 4x200 freestyle relay with a blazing come-from-behind anchor lap. He finished the meet by crushing the field in the 400 IM (which Phelps no longer swims), beating runner-up Tyler Clary by four seconds. That made Lochte a perfect five-for-five in finals in Shanghai. (After swimming the prelims in the 400 free relay on Day One, he watched from the stands as the U.S. came in third in the final.)

Lochte says he's not done wowing the world. Since his return from China, he has taken just one day off from training.

"I'm ready to rock this thing," he said at November's Golden Goggle awards. "Come London, I want to turn some heads."

He's clear on what makes that possible. When Lochte stepped up to the podium to accept the trophy for Best Male Race of the Year, honoring his world record swim, he, like a true Sportsman, gave credit where it was due:

"I wouldn't get this if it wasn't for Michael," he said. "He pushes me every day. And I push him. We have a great rivalry."

Stayed tuned for London. Thanks to Phelps, Lochte may soon leave a mark on the sport that's far more permanent than fading footprints on the pool deck.

2011 AT&T Winter Nationals - December 1-3 - psych sheet

2011-11-27T20:26:00.005-06:00

The Winter Nationals will be in LC meters this year to prepare for the Olympics. I'm a little disappointed, because I love SC meets and they are pretty rare. Still, this should be an amazing meet and it will be televised by NBC on Sunday! So set your DVR.

Here is the psych sheet: http://www.swimlfsc.org/storage/a-3-national-meets/01-sc-nationals/Nationals%20SC%201112%20psych%20sheet.pdf

Ryan is in the following events:

Event 2 - 400m free

Event 4 - 200m IM

Event 8 - 400m IM

Event 12 - 200m free

Event 16 - 100m back

Event 22 - 100m free

Wonder if there will be a mini-taper? I doubt it. If there is a mini-taper, it will probably be at the Duel in a few weeks.

It's so rare for Ryan to swim a 400 IM! That alone is worth the price of admission. It's exciting for us to watch, even if if it is painful for him to swim.

I noticed that Arkady Vyatchanin is swimming in this meet. He must still be training with Ryan in Florida. Ryan has so many great training partners to push him in practice. Vyatchanin is a fantastic 200m backstroker. He won bronze in the 100m back and 200m back in Beijing.

Ryan Lochte "ready to rock this thing" | News | Team USA

2011-11-22T01:21:00.000-06:00

Ryan Lochte "ready to rock this thing" | News | Team USA

Ryan Lochte took all of one day off after winning six medals at swimming's world championships last summer in Shanghai.

One day. For a sponsor photo shoot.

And then he was back in the pool -- gearing up for 2012, and the U.S. Trials and then the London Olympics. It's Thanksgiving, of course, this Thursday. He'll be in the pool.

"I'm ready to rock this thing," he said Sunday night before being named "male athlete of the year" -- over Michael Phelps -- at the Golden Goggles, USA Swimming's annual awards event, held in Los Angeles at the J.W. Marriott hotel at LA Live.

He added, "Come London, I want to turn some heads."

Lochte's 2011 featured two victories over Phelps in Shanghai, in the 200 free and then in the 200 individual medley. In that 200 IM Lochte touched in 1:54-flat, the first world record since the plastic suits that rocked swimming in 2009 were banned, Phelps finishing a very close second, in 1:54.16.

Lochte had himself held the prior mark, 1:54.10, set at the world championships in Rome two years ago. In Shanghai, upon setting the new mark, Lochte had said, "I wanted to do something that everyone thought was impossible."

In Los Angeles Sunday night, Lochte said, "I was happy with the outcome at world championships. But there's so much more. Definitely -- next year, a lot better."

He also said, "A couple guys might have something to say about that. They can talk all they want. I would like to see them stop me. This is my year."

Phelps, who didn't attend Sunday night's event, didn't win in any of the four categories in which he was nominated. Lochte, meanwhile, showed up dressed to the nines, in white on black, all Ralph Lauren, accented with a pair of slip-on black shoes emblazoned on top with a script "RL."

Ralph Lauren? Ryan Lochte?

The man has always had style.

And, of course, confidence.

This is the thing about Lochte. Some get on the blocks with the great Phelps and, even if they don't admit it, are if not fearful of being in the same race at least a tad wary.

It's understandable. Phelps has 16 Olympic medals, 14 gold. He famously won eight golds in Beijing. He has 33 world championship medals, 26 gold.

Lochte and Phelps are genuinely friends and, at the same time, respectful and intense rivals. They push each other. They bring out, in each other, the best.

And each knows it.

Lochte, though, fears nothing and no one.

As Lochte said Sunday night, referring to Phelps, "What he has done for the sport of swimming is amazing. I don't think anyone in the entire world can duplicate what he has done … I am honored to be in the same disciplines. To race with him, to be in the same pool, to be on the same team with him, is seriously amazing.

At the same time, he said, "I know a lot of swimmers, they see me or Michael, they go, 'Oh well, I'll go for second or third or fourth.' That's not me. I'm going there to win. I'm not going there for second or third. I'm training to win. Not to go for second or third.

And as for Phelps, Lochte said, "There's no doubt in my mind he's training really hard. He wasn't really happy with last year," meaning the 2011 worlds in Shanghai, where Phelps said repeatedly he wasn't in tip-top shape.

"I know he's training hard. That's motivating me. Because I know he's training. I want to go back in the water and train even harder than I have trained before."

Just over 200 days now until the U.S. Trials in Omaha, another few weeks beyond that to the Olympics in London, and on a rainy night in Los Angeles here was the unassailable prediction from Ryan Lochte: "It's going to be a good show."

Videos of Ryan's wins at Golden Goggles

2011-11-21T20:43:00.001-06:00

Male Athlete of the Year

Male Race of the Year

Golden Goggles - Ryan wins Male Athlete of the Year and Race of the Year for the 200m IM

2011-11-21T20:09:00.005-06:00

Here's an article that discusses the event: http://www.universalsports.com/news-blogs/blogs/blog=splashed/postid=567863.html#laid+back+ryan+lochte+im+bottom

Here are some photos of what Ryan was wearing, which is always the highlight of Golden Goggles:

Phelps-Lochte Rivalry Take One Million

2011-11-21T20:03:00.003-06:00

John Lohn wrote an article for www.swimmingworldmagazine.com that talks about the Phelps-Lochte rivalry for 2012. I will admit that it is very exciting to think about, and I hope it lives up to the hype and they are both at their best in London. Here's the article:

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/Commentary/28830.asp

Battle of the Titans Brewing: Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Lochte in 2012; Lohn Lineups for 100 Breaststroke -- November 21, 2011

Column by John Lohn, Swimming World senior writer

BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey, November 21. WE all know the biggest storyline heading into the 2012 Olympic Games in London will be the head-to-head showdowns between Michael Phelps, he of 16 Olympic medals, and Ryan Lochte, the man looking to unseat Phelps as Mr. Olympia. They're expected to clash in at least the 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley, events Lochte captured at last summer's World Championships in Shanghai.

At the recent Minnesota Grand Prix, Phelps produced some of the best November times of his career en route to five victories. Lochte, meanwhile, turned in pedestrian times by his standards. Of course, these opposite-end-of-the-spectrum performances have everything to do with where each man stands in his training cycle.

Lochte, who captured four individual gold medals at the World Champs, is hell bent on retaining the title he has held the past two years: Top swimmer in the world. He earned that honor with a flourish at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships, then solidified his status in Shanghai. The key, though, is delivering on the biggest stage, known as the Olympics.

While Phelps and Bob Bowman are grinding out workouts in Baltimore, Lochte is undergoing his torture by Gregg Troy in Gainesville. He didn't take a break after his World Champs show, a decision Lochte is glad to have undertaken.

"I'm probably in the best physical shape of my entire career," Lochte said in an interview with Swimming World at the Eastern States Clinic. "After Worlds, I didn't take a break. I went into hard training and the practices I've been doing, I haven't done this much work since I trained distance my freshman year of college. This summer should be interesting."

In his interview with Swimming World, Lochte indicated that Troy wanted his pupil to take a break after the World Championships. Lochte, however, had other ideas. It can be said that Lochte is obsessed with 2012 and hardly concerned with what shook out during this calendar year. At the same time, it's a guarantee Phelps is as focused, intent on finishing the finest Olympic career in history – in any sport – with an exclamation point.

"It was a huge confidence boost, just the outcome there," Lochte said of Shanghai. "At the same time, that was 2011 and it's over. It's a new year and a new training cycle, and what happened there is done. Yeah, I might have won a few races, but I'm back at the bottom. Whether swimmers think I'm hunted, I think I'm the hunter. That's how I train and look at things. The training I've been doing has put me in way better shape than I was going to Shanghai, so I know the summer can be something special."

Phelps, too, has been satisfied with the work he has assigned by Bowman. Prior to the Minnesota Grand Prix, Phelps spent three weeks in Colorado Springs, training at altitude. Bowman has routinely hammered his athletes during those training sessions. Such a workload was confirmed by Phelps during the Grand Prix stop.

"The last probably three or four weeks have been the most challenging week's I've had since before Beijing," Phelps said. "So, there's been a lot of work that's getting taken care of. We're on the right path. We just have to be able to stay on this path for the next couple months."

As we prepare for the final month of 2011, the London Games creep closer. The hype will only grow and soon we'll be treated to what should be some special duels. Can't wait.

Golden Goggles Tonight - Watch Live at www.usaswimming.org

2011-11-20T17:04:00.002-06:00

Golden Goggles starts at 8 p.m. CST. Here is the link for the live feed:

http://usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=2102&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en-US

Ryan is up for several awards, including best male athlete, best swim and best relay. I watched last year and it was pretty entertaining.

Minneapolis Grand Prix - Saturday Finals/Sunday Prelims

2011-11-13T08:14:00.002-06:00

Saturday Finals

Ryan placed 4th in the A final of the 100m back with a time of 55.80

Ryan placed 5th in the B final of the 400m free with a time of 3:58.82

Sunday Prelims

Ryan is swimming the 200m IM and the 200m back. USA Swimming has not posted the heat sheets.

Interview from Saturday night:

Ryan Lochte interview at Minneapolis Grand Prix

2011-11-12T17:33:00.001-06:00

Ryan speaks to the press on Day 1

Minneapolis Grand Prix - Ryan's Saturday Prelims results

2011-11-12T17:13:00.003-06:00

100m Back

Ryan had the 5th fastest prelim time of 56.27, qualifying for the A final.

400m Free

Ryan had the 17th fastest prelim time of 4:01.53, qualifying for the C final.

Minneapolis Grand Prix - Friday Finals/Saturday Prelims

2011-11-12T08:42:00.002-06:00

Friday Finals

200m free - Ryan finished 3rd in the B final, 11th overall with a time of 1:50.30.

100m fly - Ryan finished 8th in the A final with a time of 54.49

I haven't been able to find any videos of the finals. Will post later if I find them.

Saturday Prelims

Event #16 Men's 100m Back - Begins at 9:58 AM CST

Ryan is in Heat 6, Lane 4

Event #18 Men's 400m Free - Begins at 10:33 AM CST

Ryan is in Heat 3, Lane 7

THE BUZZ: IS IT REALLY A RIVARLY? (Phelps v. Lochte)

2011-11-11T13:23:00.003-06:00

By Mike Gustafson

http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=1&itemid=3928&mid=8712&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

It’s like that old saying: “You can’t have one without the other.”

“Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Lochte” might go down as the greatest rivalry in the history of Olympic sports. Sportswriters might write about it for years to come. Movies made. HBO films written. It might become as important as “Bird vs. Magic” in the history of sports legend. You might tell your children’s children about that time you witnessed, first-hand, the epic battle that was “Phelps v. Lochte” the same way people talk about Ali v. Frazier or Magic v. Bird. That’s because our current two best swimmers in the world, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, will begin a legendary journey this weekend at the Minneapolis Grand Prix that will culminate at the London Olympics. “Phelps v. Lochte” has the type of potential to become one of sport’s greatest rivalries.

Then again, it might not.

So much has been written about the “rivalry” between Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. To be honest, I am of two-minds. On the one hand, this rivalry should be as big as it gets. You have the Greatest Swimmer of All-Time vs. someone who has beaten his world records. You have a 16-time Olympic medalist vs. someone who COULD win 16 Olympic medals (Lochte currently has 6). They swim the same events. They are around the same age. They swim for the same country.

But is it a rivalry?

To help sift through this, I sucked down a quart of coffee. Then I constructed an internal “Point/Counter-Point” debate with myself. The hope is that by the conclusion of the monologue, I will come to a decision about this pressing question in our sport:

Is “Phelps vs. Lochte” really a rivalry?
Point: Of course it is.

Michael Phelps needs no introduction: He’s like Michael Jordan of swimming, the legend, the man with the championships. Ryan Lochte also needs no introduction: He’s like the Kobe Bryant of swimming, the “new” champion, the rising star, also with some championships. Comparing these two always seems like the typical question most sportswriters ask, “Who is better – Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant?” You can argue all day, but the argument won’t get anywhere. Jordan and Kobe never competed against each other, in their prime, at the same time.

But there’s the thing: Phelps and Lochte ARE in their prime. They’re NOT like Jordan and Kobe; they’re like Magic and Bird. One could argue that Phelps’ prime of his career was three years ago in Beijing when he scored an unprecedented 8 gold medals. Tough to argue with that. One could also argue that Ryan Lochte’s prime is yet to come – probably in London, a few months from today. Tough to argue with that, too.

But I don’t buy it.

Here, you have the two most popular and dominant male swimmers from the past few years battling each other in the same events. The 200m freestyle. The 200m IM. Possibly the 100m or 200m backstroke. Possibly the 100m freestyle. And they are on the same team. The stakes are higher. The pressure is greater. There can only be one.

Really, it comes down to that 200m IM. The individual medley has long been known as the Ultimate Decider. The 200 IM is the litmus test that gauges who, exactly, is the Best All-Around Swimmer in the pool. Phelps has declared that he will never swim the 400IM again in a major competition. So that leaves the 200 IM as the only event these two can square off in. Meanwhile, Lochte has wrestled the 200 IM world record away from Phelps. Which means Lochte is faster. Which means, if Phelps decides he still wants to compete in the 200 IM, he HAS to be considered an underdog…

Which leads me to my point: How can “The Greatest,” competing in his prime, be an underdog?

He can’t. Can’t happen. Doesn’t make sense, logically. Which either means one of two things: 1.) Phelps is beyond his prime, or 2.) Lochte is as good as Phelps. Personally, I don’t believe Phelps his beyond his prime. Phelps will be as good in London as he was in Beijing. The only difference is that Lochte will be much, much better than he was four years ago. This must be considered a true rivalry. And it’s one that could go down as one of the greatest sports rivalries ever.

You’re saying this isn’t a rivalry? Then you need to get your head checked, Mike.

Counter-Point: Mike, you ignorant fool.

You say these two are similar to Magic and Bird? I can see that. I can buy your argument that each are in their prime and that SOMETIMES they compete against each other. Sure, Phelps lost a few races and records along the way. But he’s still in good shape, and is still young. And Lochte is also reaching his prime. These two are both near their “full potential.” This is about as close as we swim fans are ever going to get witnessing the two best swimmers in the world, each very near the prime of their respective careers. I will agree with you on that.

But just one thing.

Phelps and Lochte are on the same team.

I understand this reaches a point of philosophical debate: Is it really a rivalry if you are on the same team? That debate goes into other debates, such as if swimming is an individualistic sport vs. a team-based sport. Of course, I would argue that it is a team sport. Even though no one physically “helps” you during a race, swimming really is a team sport. Phelps doesn’t train on his own. Lochte doesn’t swim relays on his own. How many of Phelps’ Olympic gold medals are from relays? Nearly 1/3 of them. Not a ton, but significant enough. Without the help of a legendary push by Jason Lezak, Phelps might not be viewed as legendary as he is today.

So, because Phelps and Lochte are on the SAME TEAM, this will never reach a true “Ali vs. Frazier” or “Bird vs. Magic” type of rivalry. Because they share the same goals. It is very possible that Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps will be on the same relays in London. It’s happened before. And in that question, when you have two people HELPING each other achieve goals of winning a gold, does “Phelps vs. Lochte” become a real, true, sport-changing rivalry?

Australia in the early 2000s was a rivalry. France in freestyle relays is now a rivalry. The United States and these countries competed against each other, no matter what, at all times. And it was exciting. It was thrilling. They were oppositional forces colliding for one goal. To have a solid foundation for a rivalry, two forces must be opposed against each other. For example, Ali vs. Frazier. Classic example of “mano a mano.” And right now, sure, Phelps and Lochte might compete against each other in some events, but they also HELP each other.

And that’s the difference.

How can TEAMMATES be epic, sports-changing, legendary rivals?

They are still competitive, don’t get me wrong. But there is a very big difference between friendly (or not-so-friendly) competition and a sport-changing, transcendent, legendary Olympic rivalry. We will be treated to good races. But it will be nothing like the “Miracle On Ice” or “Bird vs. Magic” other great sports rivalries. A rival competes against each other for the same job, the same goal, the same victory. The last time I checked, Phelps and Lochte both wore a “Team USA” swim cap, were both on relays, and both train together.

Conclusion: Well, I have to agree with Mike on this one. In order for this to become a great Olympic rivalry, we need one thing to happen:

They need to be on different teams.

Thankfully for us Team USA swimming fans, that ain’t gonna happen. We’re treated to two of the best swimmers in the world, who share the same goal. In my opinion, “Phelps vs. Lochte” will never become a true, real, lasting “rivalry.” And that’s OK. Sure, they will have some close, exciting, thrilling races. Sure, they are competitors and neither of them wants to lose. But ultimately, both Phelps and Lochte are Olympic veterans who understand that Team USA is bigger than any one person. Bigger than any race. Bigger than any rivalry. As long as these two friends and comrades finish 1-2 on the medal podium, then nothing else matters.

Right?

Minneapolis GP - Ryan's Friday prelim results

2011-11-11T11:55:00.004-06:00

Results for all of this morning's prelims can be found here: http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/596f9c14-7c90-4ce1-8bd5-689678d0f107/Fri%20Prelims%20A%20Results.pdf

The results are for the A prelims only. Conceivably someone could swim faster in the B prelims and change the finals, but it is not likely.

200m free - Ryan qualified 12th to make the B final of the 200m free. His time was 1:51.37. Ryan must be pretty beat up from training because his training partners - who are all top notch 200 free swimmers - were even slower. Conor Dwyer finished 15th with a 1:51.70. Shaune Frazier was 17th with a 1:52.10. Robert Gomez was 25th with a 1:53.26. Sebastien Rousseau was 30th with a 1:54.26 and Peter Vanderkaay was 38th with a 1:55.49.

100m fly - Ryan qualified 8th to make the A final of the 100m fly. His time was 54.85.

It's disappointing not to make the A final of the 200 free, especially with so many Olympic stars in this event. Nevertheless, Ryan is in hard training now and one thing I've learned over the years is not to expect too much at the early GP meets.

Minneapolis GP: Can't Miss Race

2011-11-10T12:02:00.002-06:00

By: Mike Gustafson

http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=2056&itemid=3921&mid=10615

This is my inner-monologue, scrolling through my Can’t-Miss Race of the Weekend: “Okay, let’s look through this field.

Oh, there’s a six-time Olympic medalist. And there’s a 16-time Olympic medalist. Oh, and there’s a world champion and Olympic silver medalist. There’s a three-time Olympic medalist. There’s an Olympic gold medalist. A U.S. national champion. An NCAA champion. Another NCAA champion. An NCAA record-holder. Another Olympic gold medalist…”

Then I stopped. My head hurt.

Holy cow. This weekend’s men’s 200m freestyle is a virtual “who’s who” of swimming, a red carpet gala event, where the field is stacked with Olympians and national champions. I didn’t even go through the whole thing. I stopped short. I knew that I could make my point:

You won’t want to miss this race.

Minneapolis is your setting for the season premiere of what will be the most exciting swimming season we’ve seen in years. The Grand Prix series kicks off with a boom, bang, and explosion – the men’s 200m freestyle. Like a slew of 200m freestyles we saw last season, this event features the best-of-the-best: the biggest names, most depth, most Olympians, most firepower. True, we will see many great races this year, but this one holds special intrigue...

Why?

Well, for starters, the top 16 seeded times this weekend are FASTER than the 200 free semifinal qualifying times at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Which means: We’re going to see some fast swimming. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. You can’t compare times now from then, but swim fans in attendance and watching online should know just how fast these swimmers are seeded. Will we witness swimmers approach their seed times? Probably not all. Especially since we’re in the brunt of the training. But we could.

Then there are the superstars.

You have Michael Phelps. The Greatest Swimmer Ever. Anytime Phelps swims, it is a special moment. People pay attention. People DVR his races. You can tell anytime when Phelps swims: Other swimmers set down their iPhones and Droids and iPads, and they actually pay attention to the races. That’s when you know something big is happening. That’s “The Phelps Effect.” Phelps has been in the competition circuits this autumn, competing overseas at the World Cup. But he’s home now. And he’s training. And he’s getting prepared for a final run at Olympic glory.

You have Ryan Lochte. Swim fans won’t like me saying this, but he is now – and might always be – the “Robin” to the Team USA Batman & Robin duo (Phelps & Lochte). The sidekick. The cool, walk-with-a-swagger, laid-back athlete. Lochte has 10 Olympic medals to catch up to Phelps if he (or anyone else, for that matter) wants to be mentioned alongside The Greatest. On paper, it doesn’t translate. However. Lochte HAS climbed to the top of the fan favorite chart like a rocketing pop song. He signs autographs. He talks with kids. He’s goofy. He’s fun. Does he care about chasing Phelps’ record-haul? You bet. You couldn’t experience the Beijing Olympics as a competitor and not envy Phelps. But will he actually do it? This is the first race that answers those questions.

You have multiple foreign superstars. Zhang Lin, a Chinese world champion and Olympic silver medalist in the 400m freestyle. Yannick Agnel, a French teenage phenom, someone many are projecting to be the next great freestyle superstar. Ous Mellouli, the Tunesian Olympic gold medalist in the 1500m. The Fraser brothers, from the Caymen Islands, with their recent Pan Am and NCAA success. Any of these guys pose a major threat to the “Phelps and Lochte Show,” and any of them can win the race.

Finally, you have the potential upset bids. I’m talking about PVK. You know PVK as one of those fan-favorite, workhorse types of swimmers. I dubbed him “The Bruce Springstein of Swimming.” He works his butt off, every meet, every single race. He could have the ability to knock off anyone. But don’t count out other names too. Ricky Berens. Tyler Clary. Dominik Meichtry. Matt McLean. Michael Kleuh. The list goes on and on….

To be sure: There will be other great races this weekend. The women’s 200m freestyle could be as good as the men’s. Or how about Missy Franklin vs. Dara Torres in the 50m freestyle. And every single battle between Lochte and Phelps. Don’t forget about Brendan Hansen and Ed Moses potentially taking the field as a couple of 30-year-olds in the 100m breaststroke.

But the men’s 200m freestyle has the firepower. I believe it will be the best indication as to who has the fire, who has the drive, who has been training, and who is putting themselves in contention seven months before the Olympic Trials. Seven months may sound like a long time, but in the world of swimming, it is a blip on the radar, quick as a flash. Soon, we’ll be watching races unfold in Omaha, remembering the first race of the Grand Prix season, when we saw someone take command of the field, charge to the wall, and make a declarative, resounding statement.

Can’t miss it. Can’t wait.

Minneapolis Grand Prix - Nov. 11-13!!

2011-11-06T16:38:00.004-06:00

Here's something to look forward to....the start of the Grand Prix season. First meet is the Minneapolis Grand Prix, held next weekend at the University of Minnesota. There will be a lot of Olympians at this meet, including Ryan Lochte. One big change from previous years - this meet will be long course meters. The psych sheet can be found here:

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/2ef36ab1-14c8-4349-84ec-36d75f80896a/minnesota%20gran%20prix%20psych%20sheet.pdf

I'm going to love the Grand Prix meets during the Olympic year.

Prelims will be swum in A and B flights.

Ryan's events:

Event #2 - 200m free (Friday) - A prelims at 9:17 am CST

Is this the Minneapolis GP or last summer in Shanghai? Here is a short list of who will be swimming in this event (by seed)

Ryan Lochte

Michael Phelps

Yannick Agnel

Zhang Lin

Peter Vanderkaay

Ous Mellouli

Dominick Meichtry

Matt McLean

Conor Dwyer

...so many more

Event #6 - 100m fly (Friday) - A prelims at 10:04 am CST

Ryan is seeded 9th. Here are some others in this event:

Michael Phelps

Eugene Godsoe

Chris Brady

Ricky Berens

Event #16 - 100m back (Saturday) - A prelim at 9:58 am CST

Ryan is seeded 3rd. Here are some others, including a big surprise from Russia (at least to me):

Arkady Vyatchanin

David Plummer

Michael Phelps

Eugene Godsoe

Ben Hesen

Tyler Clary

Event #18 - 400m free (Saturday) - A prelims at 10:33 am CST

Ryan is seeded 20th. Others in this event:

Zhang Lin

Yannick Agnel

Peter Vanderkaay

Ous Mellouli

Mads Glaesner

Sebastian Rouault

Event #25 - 200m IM (Sunday) - A prelim 8:19 am CST

Ryan Lochte

Michael Phelps

Markus Rogan

Dirian Townsend

Conor Dwyer

Tyler Clary

Event #27 - 200 back (Sunday) - A prelim 8:57 am CST

Ryan Lochte

Markus Rogan

Tyler Clary

Arkady Vyatchanin

Marco Loughran

Ryan to compete at Duel in the Pool

2011-11-03T13:29:00.003-05:00

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/28576.asp

Duel in the Pool will take place on December 16-17 at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta. It will be televised by NBC! The meet will feature the U.S. vs. Europe. According to the article linked above, the Europe team will be made up of swimmers from Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Belarus, Denmark, Austria and Lithuania.

Between the Minnesota Grand Prix on November 11-13 (which Ryan will attend) and the Duel in the Pool on December 16-17 we finally have some swim meets on the horizon. So excited to see some racing soon.

Swimming World TV - Morning Swim Show interview with Ryan Lochte

2011-11-02T22:06:00.003-05:00

Is there a world cup meet in India this year?

Golden Goggles on November 20th

2011-11-02T22:00:00.002-05:00

Ryan has three nominations (male athlete of the year, race of the year and relay of the year) and his coach Gregg Troy is nominated as coach of the year.

Cast your vote here:

http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=2104&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en

Ryan Qualifies for 2011-12 US National Team in 5 Events

2011-09-06T21:21:00.005-05:00

USA Swimming announced the 2011-12 National Team today, and Ryan qualified in 5 events, the most of any swimmer male and femaile. He was the top qualifier in 4 of the events and the 3rd best qualifier in the 5th one.

The events are:

200m free (first)

100m back (third)

200m back (first)

200m IM (first)

400m IM (first)

The entire roster can be found here:

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/d5b7cb23-0bd0-4c2c-8351-8a99b04999cd/2011-12%20National%20Team%20rosterfinal.pdf

Ryan Lochte - A look back 2005/06 (Part IV)

2011-08-21T21:20:00.010-05:00

A while ago (May 2010) I wrote some blogs on Ryan's past swimming seasons, starting with his first year of college and leading up through the 2004 Olympics and 2005 World Championships. Here are links for the past installments:

A look back 2002/03 (Part I) - http://ryanlochteswimming.blogspot.com/2010/05/look-back-20022003.html

A look back 2003/04 (Part II) - http://ryanlochteswimming.blogspot.com/2010/05/look-back-part-ii.html

A look back 2004/05 (Part III) http://ryanlochteswimming.blogspot.com/2010/05/look-back-part-iii-200405.html

Here's 2006/06 (Part IV):

This season was Ryan's senior year of college and his final appearance at the NCAA Championships. It also represented his transition to professional swimming and an appearance at the 2006 Short Course World Championships in Shanghai and the 2006 Pan Pacs in Canada. This is also the season where Ryan set his first World Records in individual events: three of them in Shanghai.

It's interesting to look back because it shows that Ryan has been swimming very successfully for a long time, but he has also improved tremendously each year.

The season started with the 2005 U.S. Open Championships in Auburn, Alabama, Dec 3-5, 2005. Ryan showed his versatility by winning 4 golds, 1 silver and 1 bronze (plus swimming in two additional "A" finals) - a total of 8 events over 3 days!

100m free - 8th

100m back - 1st

100m fly - 5th

200m back - 1st

200m IM - 1st

4 x 100m medley relay - 3rd (back)

4 x 200m free relay - 1st

4 x 100n free relay - 2nd

Interesting note: Pieter Van Den Hoogenbrand of Holland swam in this meet.

The only video I could find was the 100m free, which was won by Nick Brunelli who beat Van Den Hoogenbrand, the WR holder at the time. Ryan placed 8th.

2006 NCAA Championships - Atlanta, GA

200y back - 1st (won by 2.57 seconds) - NCAA record

200y IM - 1st (won by 3.65 seconds) - NCAA record

400y IM - 1st (won by 1.32 seconds over Ous Mellouli) - NCAA record

4 x 100y free relay - 5th

4 x 200y free relay - 4th

4 x 50y medley relay - 7th (back)

4 x 100y medley relay - 7th (Ryan's 100y back split was 44.60 - NCAA record)

Won high point score (Peter Vanderkaay was 2nd)

2006 Short Course World Championships - Shanghai, China

This meet took place only 2 weeks after the NCAA championships.

200m free - 5th

200m back - 1st - World Record

200m IM - 1st - World Record

400m IM - 1st

4 x 100m free relay - 3rd

4 x 200m free relay 3rd

4 x 100m medley relay - 2nd (Ryan set World Record on backstroke leg)

Ryan set 3 individual World Records, the only individual WRs set at this meet.

Won high point award.

Here is the video of his WR swim in the 100 back

2006 U.S. Nationals - August 1-5, 2006

200m free - 4th

200m back - 3rd

100m fly - 3rd

200m IM - 2nd

400m IM - 2nd

2006 Pan Pacs - Victoria, BC - August 17-20, 2006

100m free - 18th (prelims)

400m free - 7th (prelims)

100m back - 2nd

200m IM - 2nd

4 x 200m free relay - 1st

If you missed yesterday's chat with Ryan Lochte on ESPN

2011-08-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

here's the transcript....

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/39787/olympian-ryan-lochte

Chat with Ryan Lochte tomorrow (August 16) on espn.com

2011-08-15T19:29:00.002-05:00

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/39787/olympian-ryan-lochte

The chat will take place on August 16 at 2:30 pm ET (which is GMT -5). You can submit questions in advance. Click on the link above.

2011-08-10T21:16:00.004-05:00

Very interesting analysis by swimmingscience.net of the 200 IM at Worlds:

http://www.swimmingscience.net/2011/07/stat-sunday-200-im-comparison.html

Stat Sunday: 200 IM Comparison

First off, it was great to see some WR's go down without the high-tech suits! Hopefully this will remove the mental block, allowing athlete's to realize they can go faster than they went with the high-tech suits. I've done a WR analysis: Men's 200 IM and I still feel the 200 IM LCM WR is the most impressive. This analysis will take a short look between Phelps and Lochte.

Lochte: 24.89 53.48 1:26.51 1:54.00
28.59 33.03 27.49

Phelps: 24.83 53.67 1:26.80 1:54.16
28.84 33.13 27.36

It is easy to look at the race and say Lochte had a better butterfly and breast leg, leading him to victory. However, what was better and faster? My analysis showed a nearly identical race, with Lochte having a slightly better start and first 25, but Phelps building better into the finish. Lochte and Phelps taking the same number of strokes in the butterfly. Off the first wall was Lochte's largest advantage, spending 1.5 seconds longer underwater which allowed him to keep his stroke number equal to Phelps, but use a faster stroke rate. The breast was quite similar, but once again Lochte had a slightly higher stroke rate, helping him slightly extend his lead. On the last 50, Lochte once again gained room off the wall and was out splitting Phelps at the 25, but Lochte's higher stroke rate or longer duration under water potentially lead to him velocity to slow and finish with a long extension.

This is nitpicking differneces, but the Lochte's superior walls and stroke rate allowed him to hold off Phelps', but if Lochte can't rest on this win, Phelps' and Bowman and great strategist who will be ready to duel again next year, luckily Lochte is oblivious to most of society and will be able to stick to his strategy. Can't wait for the next race.

GJohn

New York Times article about the marketing of Ryan Lochte

2011-08-06T13:45:00.000-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/sports/as-lochte-raises-profile-image-makers-dive-in.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

As Lochte Raises His Profile, Image Makers Dive Right In

By KAREN CROUSE

Published: August 6, 2011

REPRINTS

STANFORD, Calif. — Ryan Lochte was beat. After finally catchingMichael Phelps, whom he had spent nearly a decade chasing, Lochte traveled through several time zones to compete at the United States swimming championships at Stanford University.

Enlarge This Image

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Ryan Lochte pulled out of the national championships, citing fatigue.

Enlarge This Image

Barbara Walton/European Pressphoto Agency

Ryan Lochte's name is on his shoes and it was all over the scoreboard at the world championships in Shanghai, where he won six medals.

A day after arriving from China, Lochte finished a disappointing third in the 100-meter backstroke, one of seven or eight events he could swim at next year’s London Olympics.

Lochte’s natural drawl was pronounced, as if he were resting on the vowels, when he announced afterward that he was too tired to compete in the final three days of the meet. His decision to even participate in the national championships on the heels of his six-medal star turn at the world championships in Shanghai struck many as madness.

Lochte, though, has never worried about spreading himself too thin, in or out of the water. With his colorful wardrobe and carefree demeanor, he comes across as someone who would be fun to get to know over a pitcher of beer; who, indeed, would happily do the pouring.

His world championships were almost derailed by a motor scooter accident. He has also sustained injuries while break dancing and skateboarding. Gregg Troy, his longtime coach, conceded, “I’m dealing with a 27-year-old man who lives on the edge a little bit.”

In Shanghai, Lochte aced his screen test to be the leading man of the London Games, which means that for the next 11 months, he will be treated like a movie star.

Will the increased attention cramp Lochte’s style? For those in his inner circle, it is no minor worry.

“If you do anything other than allow him to be himself, he’s not going to be the same athlete,” Troy said.

The two people entrusted with guiding Lochte through fame’s minefield look like Olympic gymnasts. Erika Wright and Shawn Zenga are diminutive in stature, but they think big when it comes to marketing their main man.

Lochte’s endorsements include Speedo, Gatorade and Mutual of Omaha, and the list is growing by the day. After the world championships, Wright and Zenga signed him to a deal, not yet announced, to pitch a product once endorsed by Tiger Woods. Also in the works is a fitness video, shot in the weight room, which will introduce unconventional uses for beer kegs and tractor tires. Lochte hopes to do for strength training what Rodney Yee did for yoga. He wants to increase its mass appeal.

Wright and Zenga showed up at one of Lochte’s meets last summer wearing jeans, high heels and black leather jackets with Team Lochte emblazoned on the back. Nobody was going to confuse them with the buttoned-down management at Octagon, which had previously represented Lochte and continues to work with Phelps and other top swimmers, including the 11-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin.

“That’s what I like about them,” Lochte said. “They’re different, like me.”

He was sitting just off the lobby at a hotel near the Stanford campus. His eyes were half-moons and his voice was sleepy. Lochte perked up when he saw a Gatorade commercial in which his name is mentioned on a nearby flat-screen television tuned to ESPN.

Wright and Zenga are part sharks, part bodyguards and part mother figures, the real-life fusion of the fictional characters Ari Gold, Mr. T and Edna Garrett.

When they are not pursuing deals, they are policing fans like the Chinese man in his 20s at the Shanghai airport who hugged Lochte and would not let go. Or they are monitoring Lochte’s Facebook fan page and blocking women who send inappropriate photographs or messages, a full-time job in itself.

“They make my life 10 times easier,” Lochte said of Wright and Zenga.

Wright’s husband, Tony, is a longtime music manager who has worked with the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and ’N Sync. Wright, a lawyer, says she sees in Lochte the same ineffable aura that helped make Justin Timberlake a household name.

“I know absolutely nothing about swimming,” Wright said, “but what I could tell from the first time I met Ryan is he’s marketable. He has such an ability to reach people, to touch people, to get into people’s hearts because of his nature.”

Few athletes are more competitive or more compassionate than Lochte, who will undress a rival in the water, then give him the shirt off his back. It is bound to be some gem he found while scavenging on the Internet, like the one he wore Wednesday to collect his bronze medal in the backstroke, which had “Google Me!” stripped across the front. If you do, you will find more than two million results.

Lochte’s father, Steve, said: “A member of United States Swimming said to me this week, ‘Not only is your son the fastest swimmer in the world, he’s the most popular swimmer in the world.’ That’s the thing that made me proudest because it’s not because of his winning, it’s because of who he is: a sensitive, loving, giving young man.”

Lochte was born in upstate New York on the next-to-last day of the swimming competition at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. His mother, Ileana, delivered him shortly before the American Rick Carey came through with the gold in the 100-meter backstroke.

He grew up in Daytona Beach, Fla., where his parents were swim coaches. Ileana Lochte oversaw the development of his textbook strokes before his father molded him into a national-caliber swimmer. Then they sent him to Gainesville, where he became a seven-time N.C.A.A. champion under Troy, who oversees the University of Florida program.

Last year, the marriage of Lochte’s parents fell apart as his training was coming together. Steve Lochte, in what he described as “the lowest point of my life,” was charged with driving under the influence and subsequently lost his coaching job at Daytona State College. Last October, he was fined, ordered to do community service and placed on a year’s probation.

Lochte had a long talk with his father. “He wants for everyone to be happy and to enjoy life,” Steve Lochte said. “That was his biggest concern.”

Lochte also reached out to his mother. “The first thing he did was send me money,” she said in a telephone interview from Florida. “I said, ‘No, I don’t need it.’ ”

Ileana Lochte traveled to the world championships with Lochte’s two younger brothers. (He also has two older sisters.) Steve Lochte attended the national championships. Their divorce became final shortly after last year’s championships, in which Lochte handed Phelps his first loss in the 200 individual medley since 2002, to foreshadow his world championship victories over Phelps this summer in the 200 freestyle and the 200 I.M.

“If I want to accomplish what I want to accomplish in the sport of swimming, I have to be able to separate my swimming life and my family life,” Lochte said. “Sometimes, it’s hard because my family is a big part of me. I’ll do anything for them.”

Lochte’s driven side does not get enough attention. He worships the rapper Lil Wayne but twice turned down opportunities to see him perform — at a pre-Super Bowl party in Miami and at an Orlando concert — because he would have had to miss training.

Lochte turned 27 on Wednesday but felt years older as he made his way gingerly toward the Avery Athletic Center exit, every muscle aching. A group of girls was waiting outside the gate. Some had racing caps for Lochte to sign. Others held handmade signs wishing him a happy birthday or imploring him to follow them on Twitter.

Lochte autographed every item thrust at him, smiled on cue for photographs and made small talk with his admirers, a few of whom were old enough to be his mother.

Matt Grevers, a 2008 Olympian who had just won the 100 backstroke at Lochte’s expense, patted him on the back and continued walking toward the parking lot. Lochte kept signing.

Lochte targets Olynpic success - Viso Sports

2011-08-06T13:36:00.001-05:00

Lochte gets better of Phelps in Shanghai

2011-08-05T07:38:00.002-05:00

Lochte gets better of Phelps in Shanghai: "Lochte gets better of Phelps in Shanghai"

This video wouldn't embed, but it's pretty good so click on the link if you want to see it.

Article by Mike Gustafson on USASwimming.org - on Ryan's popularity

2011-08-04T21:20:00.001-05:00

http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=3567&mid=9874

BY MIKE GUSTAFSON//CORRESPONDENT

There’s a famous quote that goes like this: “90 percent of success is just showing up.” Variations of the quote differ (Google it) but the idea remains the same: Showing up breeds success. Showing your face, interacting with people, letting people know that you are physically present and “there” is important. According to Woody Allen, the alleged author of the famous quote – a guy who knows something about success -- “showing up” means everything.

Just ask Ryan Lochte. His “just show up” theory to popularity is no more evident than it is this week, at the 2011 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships. He gets mobbed wherever he goes, mobbed byscreaming throngs of fans, but doesn’t back away. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Lochte approaches them.

Since the end of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, sports have dramatically changed – especially our sport of swimming. FINA banned full-body suits. Unparalleled levels of popularity permeated throughout our sport, attracting new fans and participants. But maybe the biggest change has been the explosion of social media. It is a venue that allows fans to “interact directly” with their Olympic superstars – something needed in our world of limited mainstream media coverage.

The social media aspect has been positive for fans and athletes alike. It has allowed people to “get to know” their favorite athlete, see behind-the-scenes looks at their athletes. It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s up-to-the-minute.

But Ryan Lochte has won his success with being there. Showing up. In person. Interacting, face-to-face.

No other swimmer has seen his celebrity status explode like Ryan Lochte. He’s become infinitely more popular since pre-Beijing. Sure, he’s a phenomenal swimmer. He dominates the pool like an aquatic super hero. Lochte also has the cool, easy-breezy swagger that attracts fans -- the confidence that swimmers are famous for, magnified in the magnetic Lochte.

But Lochte doesn’t really “blog.” He Tweets occasionally, but he certainly isn’t writing any online novellas. He has a fan page, but doesn’t have a billion people managing his “online presence” like other famous athletes. So what gives? How has Ryan Lochte become such a popular swimmer on the pool deck?

Popularity is not a chicken vs. the egg theory. It’s not, “Well if I become a faster swimmer, I’ll become more popular.” It doesn’t always work like that. Not always. Just being fast doesn’t mean you will connect with a potential fan base – to make people actually care about you. But Ryan Lochte’s fans are perhaps the most die-hard passionate street team of fans you’ll ever meet. Why? Because Ryan Lochte has always been one of those guys signing each and every autograph, taking each and every picture, handing and giving away his medals to adoring fans.

In other words, he shows up. He’s there, smiling at you, shaking your hand, telling you “thanks for the support.”

Ryan Lochte understands the value of winning fans over, face-to-face, one fan at a time. He’s done so throughout the 2011 Grand Prix series. He’s doing so now, at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships.

It’s a lesson for swimmers hoping to achieve the outside-the-pool success that Lochte has. Sure, Lochte has a great, unusual personality. He has his own suit line. He wears custom-made t-shirts with funny sayings on them. He wears weird, green alien shoes.

And now he’s the most popular swimmer in the world.

Stroke Kings reality show - Still on, but Ryan is out

2011-08-04T20:03:00.002-05:00

This article confirms what we've suspected for a while, that Ryan Lochte has dropped out of Stroke Kings, the reality show that will air on Universal Sports at some point. The show will now concentrate on Ed Moses and his quest to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

It sounds like a really great show for any swimming fan. I'm going to watch it even though it's a little disappointing that Ryan is no longer involved.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/london-calling-2012/201107/fish-out-water-returns-ed-moses-and-his-unlikely-comeback

Stroke Kings, originally conceived to co-star and standout American swimmer Ryan Lochte, was set to debut on Universal Sports in early July. Lochte has since bowed out, pushing the start date back and leaving Ed to anchor a show that, according to the show’s Facebook page, "delves into the rigorous training of Olympic swimmers who struggle to resist being consumed by the seductions of celebrity and overcome personal hurdles."

While he is not at liberty to disclose exactly who will be some of the other swimmers involved in the show, Ed has said that Stroke Kings will feature a host of international athletes that "will really open up the sport of swimming worldwide."

"The whole show started with how I wanted to do this comeback," Ed says. "I wanted people to see what kind of person I am and just show people that I’m no different, that I came up from the same roots that most people did that get into sports,"

Ed believes heightening the entertainment value of swimming is a step in the right direction of expanding the audience of -- and therefore the endorsement opportunities for -- swimmers. "That’s the goal of everything that I’m trying to do with Universal," he says.

Along with Stroke Kings, Ed says he has "several other shows" with swimmers and other athletes that he hopes to get up and running prior to the Olympics next summer.

Swimming World - TV - Interview with Ryan Lochte at 2011 USA Swimming Long Course Nationals

2011-08-04T12:42:00.003-05:00

Swimming World - TV - 2011 USA Swimming Long Course Nationals - Ryan Lochte

Article about why Ryan Lochte pulled out of Nationals

2011-08-04T05:30:00.002-05:00

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18613649

Ryan Lochte pulls out of U.S. swimming championships because of fatigue

By Elliott Almond ealmond@mercurynews.com

Apparently swim star Ryan Lochte underestimated his super powers.

After finishing third in the 100-meter backstroke Wednesday at the ConocoPhillips U.S. championships, he declared, "The season is over."

Lochte decided to shut it down on his 27th birthday because of the fatigue of traveling across the world to compete at Stanford. He won five gold medals at the FINA World Championships in China last week to emerge as the swimmer to watch heading to the London Games.

Matt Grevers won the race Wednesday in 53.14 seconds, followed by Nick Thoman (53.57) and then a fading Lochte (53.79). Lochte also finished 22nd in the 100 breaststroke Tuesday.
"Practice starts tomorrow," the Florida swimmer said.

But the night belonged to Lochte, who left the Avery Aquatic Center to celebrate his birthday at the Cheesecake Factory in Palo Alto.

Lochte had planned to swim at least two more events at the championships that end Saturday. But if he had realized the difficulty of racing back-to-back meets thousands of miles apart, "I wouldn't have wasted my time coming here."

It wasn't a waste for those who got to see the biggest star since Michael Phelps, a swimmer expected to electrify London next summer. It wasn't a waste for Grevers, who said, "Any time you can beat Ryan Lochte, it's a great time."

And it was a thrill for the girl who got Lochte's bronze medal after the victory ceremony.
"The only medals I want to keep are Olympic medals," he said. "This isn't something I would put up on a mantel. It means more to the fans who support us."

It's a side of Lochte few know. At the 1992 U.S. Olympic trials, a big-name swimmer refused to give the young Lochte an autograph as they rode an elevator. He told Steve Lochte, "Dad, if I get to be in that position, I'll never do that to somebody," his father recalled this week. "He's sensitive, especially to kids."

Many have heard the stories about the skateboarder/surfer known for loud fashion statements at the pool and multiple motor scooter injuries.

"I'm dealing with a 27-year-old man who lives on the edge a little bit," Lochte's coach Gregg Troy said. "If you do anything other than allow him to be himself, he's not going to be the same athlete."

Peter Vanderkay, who easily won the 200 freestyle in 1:46.45 on Wednesday, has pushed Lochte in the middle distances as his training partner. He also has been influenced by Lochte's relaxed attitude at the pool.

"He's a unique breed," said Vanderkay, who used to train with Phelps at Michigan. "It doesn't consume him."

But Lochte's ascent also means there's more at stake in the coming year. The injuries used to not be a big deal for the swimmer and coach.

"Now it's a profession," Troy said. "The bad part is it does affect his swimming. The good part is they really get him to zero in on his training. Once he gets injured, suddenly every session becomes really important."

It also will be important for Lochte to handle the spotlight being cast on him. Troy, who has built a stable of world-class swimmers in Gainesville, Fla., and is coach of the U.S. Olympic team, hopes Lochte and his agent understand the importance of training as they receive more media demands.

"It's a really fast world out there," Troy said. "I don't think there is any room to back off."

Thanks to everyone who reads this blog

2011-08-03T23:25:00.006-05:00

Ryan has a lot of fans from all around the world. I'm grateful for anyone who takes time out to read this blog, but I know it's because of Ryan that you read it. I'm always amazed at the number of people outside of the US who are interested in Ryan. He has world-wide appeal. I think it's because he sets goals and works so hard to achieve them. His successes are earned, which is such a good message.

Ryan tweeted tonight that his swimming season is done. Not surprising given how he performed at Worlds.

If there's any news on his swimming, I will try to put it in the blog. But for now, Ryan is hopefully taking a deserved rest.

Thanks again for reading.

p.s. can't believe I figured out how to post a tweet.

Ryan placed 3rd in 100m back at Nationals

2011-08-03T22:17:00.007-05:00

Ryan's time was 53.79, the 13th fastest time in the world this year and his best time in 2011 (previous best 54.0 in prelims). Matt Grevers won and Nick Thoman placed 2nd.

I can't wait for the day that Ryan breaks 53.0 because I know he can do it. Under the circumstances of last week and all the travel, I understand why it didn't happen today.

Here's Swimmingworld Magazine's report of the race:

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/USA/27807.asp?q=USA-Swimming-Long-Course-Nationals:-Matt-Grevers-Blasts-100-Back-for-Win

PALO ALTO, California, August 3. TUCSON Ford's Matt Grevers made a statement in the men's 100 back with a scorching time at the USA Swimming Long Course Nationals.

Grevers, who did not qualify for Worlds last summer, tapered for this meet with a blazing fast time of 53.14. That swim put him sixth in the world this year, but still behind Nick Thoman (53.01) and David Plummer (53.04) among the Americans.

Thoman, after clocking the 53.04 at Worlds, took second tonight in 53.57, while Ryan Lochte finished third in 53.79. Lochte is coming off a World meet in which he won five gold medals, and is only the fourth man to win at least five at Worlds.

Kyle Owens (54.30), Eugene Godsoe (54.34), David Russell (54.44), Ben Hesen (54.56), Plummer (54.74), Adam Mania (54.98) and Mitchell Friedemann (55.70) rounded out the championship finale.

Ryan with all 5 gold medals & 1 bronze medal won in Shanghai

2011-08-03T19:35:00.002-05:00

Ryan qualifies 2nd in the 100m back prelims

2011-08-03T12:39:00.003-05:00

Ryan qualified second in this morning's prelims for the 100m back. Here is the list of 10 swimmers who will be in the finals. It should be a great race! Finals tonight at 6 pm PDT. Watch on Universal Sports or USASwimming.org.

1 Grevers, Matthew 53.96
2 Lochte, Ryan 54.00
3 Thoman, Nicholas 54.19
4 Godsoe, Eugene 54.31
5 Owens, Kyle 54.52
6 Russell, David 54.58
7 Hesen, Benedict 54.61
8 Plummer, David 55.02
9 Vyatchanin, Arkady 55.10
10 Friedemann, Mitchell 56.07

Here is an article written about the 100 back before prelims:

http://usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=3543&mid=9874

Can't Miss Race: Men's 100m Back
8/3/2011
By Mike Gustafson//Correspondent

While the rest of the swim nation catches its breath after comeback king Brendan Hansen’s courageous victory yesterday in the 100m breaststroke, we still have other “races to watch” throughout these 2011 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships.

Any time Ryan Lochte races a 100m backstroke against Matt Grevers, at least to me, it’s the biggest race of the day. To understand why, you have to look back through the shared history between these two mega-Olympians. Namely, how Grevers has been the spoiler throughout Lochte’s sprint backstroking career.

The first big upset came at the 2005 NCAA Championships, when Grevers was just an unheralded sophomore at Northwestern. Ryan Lochte was the favorite, but Grevers just touched him out by a few hundredths of a second.

This “upset” was repeated at the 2008 Olympic Trials, when the stakes were higher. Ryan Lochte came in as the world-record holder in the event. But Grevers stretched his monstrous 6’8’’ frame to the wall before Lochte, and qualified in the event as well as the medley relay.

Now, Lochte wants to get it back. This morning, Lochte scratched out of the 200m freestyle, presumably to concentrate on the 100m backstroke. He wants to see how fast he can go.

Arguably, winning next summer’s Olympic Trials race in this event is the only way Lochte can punch a ticket in that American 4x100 medley relay. He won’t make it in the butterfly or freestyle, and certainly not the breaststroke. Potentially, qualifying in the 100m backstroke next summer means not just one Olympic medal, but two – assuming that Team USA does what it always does, and swims well in the medley relay.

So tonight is big for Lochte. It’s a gauge reading on whether or not he should continue to concentrate in this event. He’s already got the 200 and 400 IMs, the 200 backstroke, and the 200 freestyle. But if he adds the 100m backstroke to his repertoire, arguably, he could sneak in 8 events at London. Remember that number – 8? Remind you of anyone?

Unfortunately for Lochte, the men’s 100m backstroke– despite a lacking of Aaron Peirsol – remains the most competitive event in men’s swimming. First, there’s Matt Grevers. Grevers wants to make a statement, as he was sitting at home during the World Championships, just barely missing qualification last summer. He is rested and wants to prove something. He’s upset Lochte before, and I believe can do it again.

Nick Thoman just tasted what it would be like to lead-off a winning medley relay in a major long course international meet, last week’s World Championships. You think he wants to give up his spot so easily? Nope. Once he’s had that taste, you can bet that he won’t want to relinquish his spot without a fight.

David Plummer is one year removed from his huge upset last summer at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships. Can he give a repeat performance? People are well aware of his name now. He’s got some momentum. The Minnetonka swimmer is certainly capable of pulling off something big. A win here would give him much-needed momentum heading into the Olympic year.

David Nolan is the most promising young male swimmer since Michael Phelps. He had the best performance in high school swimming history earlier this winter, and will be heading to college this fall. Will he show up to campus with a national championship under his belt? A Nolan victory would be a shocker – but we’ve seen shockers before. Nolan needs to become more of a long course swimmer to succeed next year. Nolan’s better event is the 200IM, but this event will gauge how well he’s doing so far.

Tom Shields is the defending NCAA Champion. He’s got more potential than people realize, and he’ll be swimming practically in his backyard. He’s rested and comfortable. He could be a major player next summer, as this field gets deeper and deeper.

An X-Factor that I’m excited about is youngster Ryan Murphy. He’s not going to win. He might not even final. But he’s just 16-years-old and shows tons of potential. Watch out to see what he does in this event, an event that is arguably his best.

So grab your popcorn, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight’s 100m backstroke will prove to be one of the more exciting races of the summer, if only because the field is so deep and so proven, anything can happen. Even without the addition of fan-favorite Aaron Peirsol, the men’s 100m backstroke remains the most competitive event in USA swimming, and I believe that tonight, we’ll once again see why.

Ryan in "C" Final for 100m breast at Nationals

2011-08-03T08:07:00.000-05:00

Ryan Lochte to compete in U.S. Nationals this week at Stanford

2011-07-31T14:46:00.002-05:00

The swimming fun isn't over yet, at least for fans. U.S. Nationals take place at Stanford University from August 2 to 6. The psych sheet can be found here:

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/26b81e02-e130-480b-8e0a-ddeafd6d832b/psych%20sheets_11Nats.pdf

Ryan is entered in 11 events. I don't know what his goals are for this meet, but believe he will drop most of these events depending on how he feels.

Ryan's events are:

August 2

400m free

100m breast

400m IM

August 3

200m free

100m back

200m fly

August 4

100m fly

50m free

August 5

100m free

200m IM

August 6

200m back

For Michael Phelps, law of diminishing returns

2011-07-31T13:51:00.001-05:00

For Michael Phelps, law of diminishing returns

July 29, 2011|Globetrotting by Philip Hersh
That Michael Phelps is the best swimmer in history goes without saying. His 14 Olympic gold medals and 24 World Championship gold medals -- including two more this week - speak for themselves, given that no one else has won more than nine Olympic titles or 11 world titles.

That Ryan Lochte has been the world's best swimmer the past two years also goes without saying -- to everyone but Phelps.

That is apparent in the way Phelps has spoken about his two close losses to Lochte at the 2011 world meet in Shanghai.

Rather than give Lochte the credit he deserves for those victories, Phelps has diminished them by constantly bringing up the diminished level of his own commitment to training since winning an unprecedented eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics.

What Phelps has said about his training regimen undoubtedly is true. It may also be a defense mechanism, insulating himself from the possibility that no amount of training would have kept him ahead of Lochte in the 200-meter freestyle and the 200-merer individual medley.

Whatever the reason, Phelps has shown himself graceless in defeat.

This is what Phelps said after Lochte won Monday's 200 freestyle in 1 minute, 44.44 seconds, according to news reports:

"With the training I have had in the last six to eight months, that's all I had in the tank. . .The reason why I haven't been able to swim as fast as I wanted the last two years is: It's all my fault. . .That time (Lochte's) won't win a gold medal next summer."

And this is what Phelps said after the 200 IM, when Lochte became the first swimmer to set a world record since the 2010 ban on the hi-tech suits that had made record performances meaningless:

"I didn't win because I wasn't as prepared I should have been."

You don't come to the world championships and complain about not being prepared after you lose. Especially since Phelps was prepared enough to rally in the final 50 meters and win his fifth 200 butterfly world title in five tries. And be fit enough to swim faster than Lochte in the final 50 of both the 200 freestyle and 200 IM.

Lochte chose to let Phelps' churlishness go, saying, "You're either ready or you're not. If he says he wasn't ready, I guess he wasn't ready."

Phelps said the defeats were the motivation he needs for the 2012 London Olympics, where it would be no surprise to see him beat Lochte in one or both of the races he lost in Shanghai.

But Lochte has been unquestionably the best swimmer at this world meet. Friday, he added a third individual gold medal (200 backstroke) and a relay gold (4 x 200 free).

Lochte anchored the relay in 1:44.56, and Phelps led off in 1:45.53. Even with the advantage gained from a flying start (about .5 seconds), Lochte was faster than Phelps.

In a sport like swimming, there is nothing subjective about the results. Fastest to the wall is the best. No excuses.

For Michael Phelps to say it any other way diminishes himself most.

Ryan Lochte Wins Best Swimmer of the World Championships

2011-07-31T09:53:00.005-05:00

Interesting award! Looks like a Chinese imperial vase.

Post-race interview 400m IM

2011-07-31T09:41:00.000-05:00

Ryan wins 5th gold in 400m IM

2011-07-31T08:52:00.001-05:00

Here's an edited video of the race. I really hate when Universal Sports cuts out part of the race in the video.

Ryan qualifies as top seed in the 400m IM finals

2011-07-31T02:39:00.004-05:00

Ryan cruised to a 4:11.89 without exerting too much energy. Tyler Clary qualified 4th with a 4:14.98. Thiago Pereira dropped out due to illness and Lazslo Cseh surprisingly did not qualify for finals.

The top 8 qualified for finals:

LOCHTE Ryan 4:11.89
HORIHATA Yuya 4:13.68
HUANG Chaosheng 4:14.07
CLARY Tyler 4:14.98
DRYMONAKOS Ioannis 4:15.01
VERRASZTO David 4:15.01
WANG Cheng Xiang 4:16.45
PAVONI Robert 4:16.48

Ryan Lochte - post-race interview (200m back & 4 x 200m free relay)

2011-07-29T10:47:00.002-05:00

Video - Lochte wins 200m back, anchors USA 4 x 200m free relay Gold

2011-07-29T07:44:00.001-05:00

Universal Sports video of 200m IM & post-race interview

2011-07-28T13:25:00.003-05:00

Ryan wins Gold in 200 IM, breaks World Record!!

2011-07-28T09:26:00.003-05:00

Lochte, Phelps, Cseh. My favorite medal podium!!

Lochte ends world record drought in 'spectacular' fashion By Ryan Hurley, Special to Universal Sports

Ryan Lochte edges Michael Phelps for gold while setting a new world record in a thrilling men's 200m IM final. Lochte defeated Michael Phelps today in the 200m IM at the World Championships in Shanghai, China, setting a world record in the process. While every world record is impressive, this swim can only be classified as spectacular for the fashion in which it was set and the implications that come along with it. Not only was this the first world record set in a 50m pool in nearly two years, but it was also Lochte delivering another decisive blow to his close friend and intense rival.

Here are some quick thoughts after the race:

- Lochte's swim of 1:54:00 was the first world mark to fall in long-course pool since high-tech suits were banned on Jan. 1, 2010. Forty-three world records were broken at the 2009 World Championships, creating tremendous controversy over the suit technology and downgrading the significance of setting a world record. Swimmers shattered marks by large chunks and it was widely believed that they would hold up for a long time to come.

- The swimming community as a whole took a fairly significant step back last year as swimmers adjusted to racing in more traditional, less buoyant suits. While no long-course world records were broken in 2010, it was reassuring to see that many swimmers, including Lochte and Rebecca Soni, were well within striking distance.

Then almost exactly after two years after Ryan Lochte set the world record in the 200m IM, he proved today that it could be done without a high-tech suit as he lowered his own mark by a mere tenth of a second. This race is significant because it shows that it's time to start chipping away at the record books again.

- The other element of this race that made it such a spectacular feat was that Lochte showed the poise of a true champion, as he once again was able to hold off Phelps. Just as he had done earlier in the week in the 200m freestyle, Phelps battled to overtake Lochte in the final 50 meters, but Lochte remained collected and stayed out in front. This proves that Lochte is not intimidated by Phelps and is willing to dig deeper into the red.

You know a spectacular race when you see one, and watching the two greatest male swimmers in the world battle it out for a world record has spectacular written all over it. In the end, it's Ryan Lochte who is the world champion and world record holder in the 200m IM, but Michael Phelps is still right by his side.

From Speedo - Poolside Chat with Ryan Lochte

2011-07-27T13:14:00.001-05:00

This isn't really about swimming but....

200 IM prelims interview

2011-07-27T10:48:00.001-05:00

Ryan places first in 200m IM semi-finals

2011-07-27T07:51:00.002-05:00

He'll be in lane 4 and Michael Phelps will be in lane 5 in tomorrow's final.

200 IM prelims - Ryan glides through to the semi-finals

2011-07-26T21:53:00.009-05:00

Ryan won his 200m IM heat today with a time of 1:59.04. Ryan's last 20 meters were in total shut down mode.

Here is what swimmingworld magazine had to say about the 200m IM prelims:

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/27688.asp?q=FINA-World-Championships,-Swimming:-Day-Four-Prelims

Men's 200 IM
World record: Ryan Lochte, USA, 1:54.10
Textile best: Ryan Lochte, USA, 1:54.43

Brazil's Thiago Pereira crushed the preliminary competition with a 1:57.82 for the top seed, while Hungary's David Verraszto earned the second seed with a 1:58.69. Meanwhile, a rush of 1:59 times made the rest of the semifinal field.

Australia's Kenneth To qualified third in 1:59.02, while USA's Ryan Lochte, the defending world titlist, finished fourth with a 1:59.04. Austria's Markus Rogan (1:59.22), Japan's Yuya Horihata (1:59.25), Lithuania's Vytautas Janusaitis (1:59.43) and USA's Michael Phelps (1:59.48) snared the rest of the top eight spots.

Portugal's Diogo Carvalho (1:59.51), Brazil's Henrique Rodrigues (1:59.54), Great Britain's James Goddard (1:59.68), Poland's Marcin Cieslak (1:59.77), Hungary's Laszlo Cseh (1:59.80), South Africa's Darian Townsend (1:59.97), Israel's Gal Nevo (1:59.98) and Germany's Jan David Schepers (1:59.99) grabbed the rest of the spots in the semifinal heats. Cseh is the reigning and defending silver medalist in the event.

Note: these times are much slower overall than Rome 2009, where Ryan swam a 1:57 in prelims, a 1:55 in semis and a 1:54 in the final. I'm still hoping for a world record. Hope that doesn't mean it's too slow to happen.

200 free post-race interviews from USA Swimming

2011-07-26T19:53:00.001-05:00

After 200 free finals

After 200 free prelims

My thoughts on Ryan's win in the 200m free

2011-07-26T17:02:00.005-05:00

There's so much I want to write about Ryan's 200m free victory. Ryan's time was 1:44.44, which I have heard criticized because it was slow. It's a personal best for Ryan by almost a second. Ryan's previous personal best, also in textile, was 1:45.30 at Pan Pacs last summer. This is tremendous improvement for a person at Ryan's level. There's no reason to believe he won't improve at least that much in 2012. All of Ryan's hard training in the past 3 years builds on itself. He doesn't have to cram 4 years worth of training into the next year.

The 200 free field in Shanghai was top notch. This was projected as the most competitive race of the meet. All of the top 200 free swimmers in the world were in the race: Park, Agnel, Biedermann and Phelps. Park and Bidermann are said to be in the best shape of their lives. Agnel is young and touted as the next Michael Phelps. Experts could not agree on who would win. Ryan outswam all of them.

The 200m free is an off event for Ryan. He didn't swim it in Beijing, although his semi-final time at the Olympic trials was second best. He didn't swim in the finals so it did not count. Ryan didn't swim the 200 free in Rome. Over the past several years, Ryan has swum the 200 free at Nationals in order to qualify for the 4 x 200m free relay, not to qualify as an individual event. That makes Ryan's achievement today even more impressive.

Ryan used strategy and experience to win. As noted in the article by Doug Lennox copied below, Ryan made his move in the 3rd leg because he knew Phelps breathes to his right and wouldn't see him. Ryan was patient and then used his superior walls (honed over the past 3 years of hard work) to make his move.

Ryan deserves all of the accolades he is receiving for this win.

I won't rehash my thoughts on the decision not to put Ryan in the finals of the 4 x 100 free relay. I'm over it (mostly).

http://ht.ly/5NYVk

By Doug Lennox

Two years after the 2009 World Championships in Rome, the headlines read the same: “Michael Phelps Stunned”. But this time, there were no suits to blame, no accusations made and no defensive statements issued. Heading into the race, the hype surrounded the rematch between Paul Biedermann of Germany and Phelps of the USA, but in the end the wise old Gator won out. Today’s 200m Freestyle race was taken home – literally and figuratively – by long-time American stalwart, Ryan Lochte.

In a field full of legitimate contenders – including 400m Freestyle champion, Park Tae Hwan of South Korea, and “the second coming of Michael Phelps”, Yannick Agnel of France – the race promised lots of drama. Immediately out of the gates, the shock was seeing Phelps take such an aggressive approach to the first 50m. Normally relying on his incredible underwater kick at the end of races, Phelps opted to go after the field at the start by posting a blazing 24.25 in the first 50m – only .02 seconds off of Biedermann’s World Record pace.

Phelps had a strong second 50m, holding onto the pole position through the first 100m of the race. But it was very clear that the halfway point was when Lochte had strategically decided to make his big move. In sports like swimming, it is easy to overlook the strategy that goes into a race-plan – especially if you do not study the sport like many athletes and coaches do. In this race, it was apparent that Lochte has been training his mind and his body to be the best in the world. By making his move at the halfway point, Lochte acknowledges that in order to beat strong finishers like Phelps, Park and Biedermann, you absolutely need to be one step ahead. That big move has to come just a little bit sooner.

Proving he now owns the world’s best underwater kick, Lochte leap-frogged past the man who has overshadowed him for years, and did it at the exact right moment. By swimming on Phelps’ left, and knowing Phelps only breathes to his right, you can be certain that these circumstances weighed into this calculated move. Pairing the element of surprise with a frantic sense of urgency, Lochte posted a blistering 26.29 in his 3rd leg, and took complete control of the race.

It was in the last 15m of the race that the brilliance of Lochte’s strategy shined through. With the best finishers and fiercest competitors in the world closing in on him, Lochte was obviously beginning to tighten up and shorten his stroke. As Phelps, Biedermann, Park and Agnel reeled Lochte in, the intensity of the crowd rose exponentially. Consistent with any true warrior, in his most physically weak moment, Lochte relied on his heart to follow through with his gutsy strategy. Instead of succumbing to the pain and losing his grip on gold, Lochte put his head down and got his struggling hand to the wall first – the sign of a true champion.

And at the end of the day, all the storylines about Biedermann and Phelps fell to the periphery as Lochte stole the show. But the truth of the matter is, the last 2 years have really been Lochte’s. Yet, we still herald Phelps as Batman as Lochte continues to play Robin. This 200m freestyle race might just be another step in Lochte’s climb to the top, but it should mean a lot more than just another loss for Phelps. Phelps has not been dominant since 2008, and he better take this as a strong indicator of what’s to come in London unless he makes some adjustments.

Stay tuned this week to see how Lochte and Phelps duke it out in the 200m Individual Medley on Thursday night.

Best Video Ever

2011-07-26T14:31:00.000-05:00

Ryan Lochte wins the 200 free!!!

2011-07-26T05:41:00.000-05:00

Cheat sheet for Ryan's events (for the U.S. time zones)

2011-07-25T17:47:00.003-05:00

Prelims are in the evening, starting at 8 p.m. CDT and Finals are in the morning starting at 5 a.m. CDT

Mon p.m. in U.S./Tues. a.m. in China - nothing

Tues a.m. in U.S./Tues. p.m. in China - 200m free final

Tues p.m. in U.S./Wed. a.m. in China - 200m IM prelims

Wed. a.m. in U.S./Wed. p.m. in China - 200m IM semi-finals

Wed. p.m. in U.S./Thurs. a.m. in China - 200m back prelims

Thurs. a.m. in U.S./Thurs. p.m. in China - 200m IM final & 200m back semi-final

Thurs. p.m. in U.S./Fri. a.m. in China - 4 x 200m free relay prelim (Ryan probably won't swim)

Fri. a.m. in U.S./Fri. p.m. in China - 200m back final & 4 x 200m free relay final

Fri. p.m. in U.S./Sat. a.m. in China - nothing

Sat. a.m. in U.S./Sat. p.m. in China - nothing

Sat. p.m. in U.S./Sun. a.m. in China - 400m IM prelims

Sun. a.m. in U.S./Sun. p.m. in China - 400m IM finals

Ryan will compete in 200m free finals seeded 3rd

2011-07-25T17:10:00.006-05:00

Ryan swam the 3rd fastest time in semi-finals of the 200m free. Ryan was in the 2nd semi-final heat in lane 4 next to Michael Phelps in lane 3 and Paul Biedermann in lane 5.

Ryan was in first place throughout the race but cruised the last 10 meters and Biedermann passed him for the win. Michael Phelps finished 3rd in the heat. The most noteworthy part of Ryan's swim was the final wall, which was incredible. He surfaced well after Biedermann and Phelps and had a half-body length lead until he started shutting it down.

Bidermann's time was 1:45.93. Ryan's time was 1:46.11. Phelps' time was 1:46.91

In the 1st semi-final, Yannick Agnel won in a time of 1:45.62, which puts him in lane 4 for the final. Agnel seemed to give the race everything he had. Finishing 2nd and 4th overall was Tae Hwan Park with a time of 1:46.26. Park was the only swimmer to go below 27 seconds on the third leg - 26.93. Then he shut it down a bit for the fourth leg. I think he can swim a lot faster.

Here are all 8 swimmers qualified for the final and their times:

1 AGNEL Yannick RT: 0.71 24.91 51.86 (26.95) 1:19.11 (27.25) 1:45.62 (26.51)

2 BIEDERMANN Paul RT: 0.81 25.00 52.03 (27.03) 1:19.52 (27.49) 1:45.93 (26.41)

3 LOCHTE Ryan RT: 0.66 24.55 51.87 (27.32) 1:19.47 (27.60) 1:46.11 (26.64)

4 PARK Tae Hwan RT: 0.65 25.31 52.59 (27.28) 1:19.52 (26.93) 1:46.23 (26.71)

5 PHELPS Michael RT: 0.75 24.72 51.91 (27.19) 1:20.08 (28.17) 1:46.91 (26.83)

6 MEICHTRY Dominik RT: 0.68 25.03 52.05 (27.02) 1:19.65 (27.60) 1:47.30 (27.65)

7 LOBINTSEV Nikita RT: 0.73 24.82 52.04 (27.22) 1:19.85 (27.81) 1:47.34 (27.49)

8 IZOTOV Danila RT: 0.77 24.85 52.08 (27.23) 1:20.04 (27.96) 1:47.39 (27.35)

The finals are at 5:00 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, Tuesday evening in China.

Ryan Lochte Has Chance to Elevate Status Even Further

2011-07-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/27656.asp?q=FINA-World-Championships,-Swimming:-Ryan-Lochte-Has-Chance-to-Elevate-Status-Even-Further

Column by John Lohn, Swimming World senior writer

SHANGHAI, China, July 25. TO say this morning's heats of the 200 freestyle were a Yawn-Fest would be an understatement, as the top guns – expectedly – cruised through their morning swims like they were taking a bath. Tonight, though, will be a different story. Look for the semifinals of the event to be sensational as a stacked field battles for the eight coveted berths to the championship final.

Although yesterday's 400 freestyle was pegged to be a dandy, the 200 free – at least for this writer – has been the can't-miss event of the World Championships. The firepower is downright scary, paced by the presence of Michael Phelps, Tae Hwan Park and Ryan Lochte. We could very well see a big-time name shut out from the final.

The four-lap freestyle is Lochte's first chance to further his pursuit of Phelps' title of World's Best Swimmer. Although Lochte was the undisputed king of 2010 as evidenced by his Swimming World World Swimmer of the Year award, thanks to his six gold medals from the Pan Pacific Championships, he needs another extraordinary performance on the international stage to bump Phelps from his throne. And, truthfully, no matter what Phelps does the remainder of his career, his legacy is firmly established.

Still, Lochte has a chance to enhance his status and nothing would help more than a victory in an event that features ridiculous talent. In Phelps, he could knock off the most decorated Olympian of all-time. In Park, he'll tangle with the reigning Olympic champ in the 400 free, an event Park claimed on Sunday night at the World Champs.

Meanwhile, Lochte's portfolio would be boosted by bettering the likes of Paul Biedermann, the defending world champ and world-record holder, and Yannick Agnel, the rising French teenage star. The only international stars not in the event are China's Sun Yang, who has opted to focus on the 400 free and up, and Ian Thorpe, the Australian legend in the middle of his comeback.

Lochtehas always been fueled by a challenge and has long believed himself capable of beating Phelps, a mentality that not all competitors have fostered. Now is the Floridian's opportunity to get the job done.

200m free prelims - Ryan placed first

2011-07-24T21:08:00.003-05:00

Ryan won Heat 7 with a time of 1:46.34. This was the fastest time in all 8 heats. Ryan's splits were: 25.10, 52.15 (27.05), 1:19.64 (27.49), 1:46.34 (26.70). Ryan glided the last 5 meters at least. This looked like a very easy swim.

Other swimmers finished as follows:

2 Sebastiaan Verschuren (Ned) 1:46.53

3 Paul Biedermann (Ger) 1:46.56

4 Tae Hwan Park (Kor) 1:46.63 (he always goes slow in prelims)

5 Michael Phelps 1:46.98 - 25.46, 52.64 (27.18), 1:19.92 (27.28), 1:46.98 (27.06)

6 Yannick Agnel (Fra) 1:47.11

7 Doninik Meichtry 1:47.38

8 Ross Davenport (GBR) 1:47.59

9 Danila Izotov (Rus) 1:47.72

10 Shaune Fraser (Cay) 1:47.73

11 Robert Renwick (GBR) 1:47.88

12 Nimrod Shapira Baror 1:48.11

13 Yuki Kobori 1:48.19

14 Nikita Lobintsev 1:48.28

15 Nicolas Oliveira 1:48.33

16 Kendrick Monk 1:48.42

200 free prelims tonight and my thoughts on the Men's 400m free relay relay

2011-07-24T16:41:00.005-05:00

Watch tonight at 8 pm CDT on Universal Sports, either online or on tv if you are lucky enough to have that station.

In my opinion, Ryan Lochte should not have been left out of the finals of the 400m free relay and he should not have had to swim prelims to prove his ability. Ryan was on the winning relay in 2009 and 2010 and he performed very well both times. At Pan Pacs his split was 47.98, faster than Lezak. He is the best or second best swimmer on the team. When the stakes are high, you put your best swimmer out there. It's like selecting the best athlete in the NFL draft.

The coaches decided to put him in the prelims and he had the 3rd best time behind GWG and Dave Walters. (2nd best actual time, 3rd best when you factor in the flat start for GWG, the first swimmer). In my view Ryan still should have been selected for the finals even under those circumstances.

The time differences were very small. GWG's prelim time was 48.49. Subtract .5 for the flat start and he's at 47.99. Lochte's time was 48.28, .29 slower. Walters' time was 48.11. GWG was selected for the finals and his time was 48.33 from a relay start, so effectively .34 slower than prelims.

Many people say that the decision about who to place in the finals should be based on time alone. If GWG beat Ryan by .29 then he should swim in the finals not Ryan. I think this kind of black and white rule is short sighted and doesn't consider all the factors at play.

Australia didn't follow that rule and they won gold. In the prelims, Eamon Sullivan's time was 48.71. James Roberts' time was 48.25. Under the black and white rule it's a no brainer. Roberts swims in the finals and Sullivan doesn't. But the Australians chose Sullivan because he has a lot more experience. He's a better swimmer overall. In the finals, Sullivan's time was 47.72, virtually a second faster.

Who is to say that Lochte wouldn't have gone a second faster in the finals? There's no reason to think he wouldn't improve as much as Sullivan. Lochte qualified for four individual events. He was the swimmer of the year in 2010. He killed everyone at SC Worlds in Dubai. He's the only swimmer to set an individual world record in a jammer since 2009. If you're going to bet on someone doing well, why not bet on him over two swimmers who made the team in relays only.

Let's look at the numbers if Lochte had swum in the finals and improved as much as Sullivan did. That would mean Lochte's time would be 47.29, more than a second faster than GWG. That would have been enough for the gold.

I don't know if Ryan could have swum that fast, but if you know the competition is tough don't you want your best swimmer in the race? Australia decided to do it that way by choosing Sullivan over Roberts and look where it got them.

Relay photos

2011-07-24T01:26:00.004-05:00

Washington Post article on Lochte and Phelps

2011-07-23T23:27:00.002-05:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/michael-phelps-vs-ryan-lochte-rivalry-in-bloom-or-changing-of-the-guard/2011/07/20/gIQA5u4sVI_story.html

Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Lochte: Rivalry in bloom or changing of the guard?

By Amy Shipley, Saturday, July 23, 8:24 PM

SHANGHAI — For the past eight years, the major competitive story line at every meaningful swimming championship has arisen from Michael Phelps’s international and historic dominance. How many medals will he win? How many records will he break? How dramatically will he increase his own legend?

So it’s rather strange to watch Phelps settling into Shanghai for the 2011 world swimming championships this weekend trailed by more curiosity than awe. At the moment, he doesn’t appear to be the best swimmer in his own country, let alone in the world.

That distinction belongs to a free spirit by the name of Ryan Lochte, a two-time Olympian out of the University of Florida, who has muscled past Phelps since the last world championships in 2009, winning more titles, more international acclaim and the distinction of being the most accomplished swimmer on the planet in 2010.

“What Michael did in 2008 is definitely going to go down in history,” Lochte said Saturday morning. “It was amazing. But that was three years ago. We’re in 2011, so anything can happen. I know, since 2008, I’m definitely a better swimmer than I was back then. We’re definitely going to put on a show this meet.”

As Phelps’s enthusiasm for training has waned since he won eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Lochte has motored by with his head down, setting the stage for a potentially magnificent confrontation or, perhaps, an official changing of the guard, at the Summer Games in London next year. For sure, the two should provide a year of aquatic drama, beginning at the championships here that run through July 31.

Each is scheduled to swim in four individual events and as many as three relays; they will go head-to-head in the 200-meter freestyle and 200 individual medley.

“I’m kind of playing catch-up now,” Phelps, 26, said before leaving for Shanghai. “I think it’s more motivating. I remember back in 2000, 2001, I was trying to climb and climb and finally I got there. Being back in this position, I think, will be kind of fun.”

Contrast of styles

It will surely be fun for fans who have grown weary of seeing Phelps often race nothing but clocks and history. Lochte, a six-time Olympic medalist whose achievements have long been dwarfed by Phelps’s supremacy, is in many ways the competitive twin of the most decorated swimmer in history. Both boast all-around gifts, the ability to handle heavy meet workloads, excellence in the underwater portions of races and nerves of steel.

But if Lochte’s competitive acumen resembles Phelps’s, his personality could hardly be more different. With his scowls and intensity, Phelps often looks like he could rip a diving platform out of the pool deck before he gets in the water. He is routinely set off by the mere scent of an insult. Though also a furious competitor, Lochte can be a master goofball. He gets serious only after he dives in.

“Ryan is the personality,” said Austrian swimmer Markus Rogan, who attended Mount Vernon High and swam for Curl-Burke Swim Club. “Michael is the machine. It’s such a dramatic difference. Ryan is more like a Dennis Rodman. Michael is more like a Tim Duncan.”

In minor races in which times aren’t crucial, Lochte prefers tiny pink, purple, lime or polka-dotted briefs to the conservative black jammer shorts most of his rivals don. He sports signature metallic-emerald-colored high-top sneakers before race finals, and has worn grills — decorative metal plates for one’s teeth — on medal stands.

At U.S. meets, Phelps always draws full-throated roars from crowds. The cheers for the curly-haired, blue-eyed Lochte — who shows off an extensive modeling portfolio on his Web site, www.ryanlochte.com — often take on the higher pitch of squealing teenage girls.

“I don’t really care what people think. As long as I’m having fun, I’ll act a fool,” Lochte, 26, said before this meet. “Me and him live two different lifestyles. Our personalities are different. He’s a more conservative type; I’m more of an out-there, gone-wild type.”

Leveling the field

Despite Lochte’s antics, he seems to have no trouble applying himself to the hard training that Phelps has frequently shunned since Beijing. Phelps’s coach, Bob Bowman, has talked openly about his frustration with Phelps’s unwillingness to commit to a full practice schedule — or any schedule at all — in recent years.

Lochte, meantime, has worked harder than ever since he won two gold medals and two bronzes in Beijing. He said he dramatically changed his eating habits and stepped up his approach to dryland training, adding speed even after the controversial speed suits were banned. Despite a growing itch to escape the university lifestyle, he has remained in Gainesville, Fla., under his college coach, Gregg Troy, since his graduation in 2007. The isolation and routine, he said, have worked.

“There’s been times like, ‘Why am I still in this collegiate atmosphere; I gotta get out of here,’ ” Lochte said. “But I stay there because I have everything perfect. The best swim coach, the best weight-training coach. . . . Everything’s perfect.”

Lochte said he resets his mind at the end of every summer, telling himself he’s no better than anyone else and must start his climb all over again. That, he claimed, is the simple secret to his self-motivation, what’s allowed him to continue training with abandon while Phelps and others have struggled with distractions.

“I went down thinking: ‘I’m at the bottom. I have to work the whole next year getting myself back up to the top,’ ” he said. “I keep doing that to myself. Right now, [that trick] has been working since ’08. Since ’08, I’ve gotten a lot faster each year.”

Phelps has struggled since 2008 and flat-out puttered since 2009, when he had an alternately fabulous and bruising meet at the world championships in Rome, the last major event at which speed suits were allowed.

Unlike Lochte and others, Phelps is only an underdog when he is not totally fit — and even then he still strikes fear into the minds of most competitors. In his and Bowman’s minds, he hasn’t been in top-notch form since August 2008. At the 2009 world championships, Phelps lost his world title and world record in the 200 free to Germany’s Paul Biedermann as Lochte broke Phelps’s world record in the 200 medley.

Last year, as Lochte collected six gold medals at the Pan American Championships in Irvine, Phelps won five but failed to advance to the 400 medley final and pulled out of the 200 medley because of fatigue.

In April, his nine-year, 60-win streak in the 200 butterfly, his signature race, ended with a loss to China’s Wu Peng. Though he had by then grown accustomed to the occasional defeat, that one, he admitted, did not sit well. He then lost two more times in the event in the ensuing months, and he and Bowman had no trouble diagnosing the problem.

“Golf is not really good for the 200 butterfly,” Bowman said Saturday. “We can definitively say that.”

His ego shredded, Phelps vowed to put away his irons and prepare seriously for the coming eight days. During a news conference Saturday, he declared himself in much better shape than last summer.

“It does get frustrating,” Phelps had said earlier. “There are times where it’s not as easy as it once was. I know, deep down inside, there is still the fire that drove me to do what I did before. I know the fire is there to get back to where I want to be.”

When, exactly, that fire emerges is unclear. But this is for sure: If it flickers at these championships, Lochte will be ready.

“I believe in myself,” Lochte said. “That’s that competitive edge that I have. I never feel like I can lose. I always feel like I can win.”

Ryan swims prelims of 400m free relay

2011-07-23T23:02:00.003-05:00

I was wrong about Ryan not swimming the prelims of the 400m free relay. He swam second in a time of 48.28. The good news is the US made the finals finishing 2nd overall after France.

I don't know if Ryan will be in the finals though, which is disappointing. The US splits were:

Garrett Weber-Gale: 48.49

Ryan Lochte: 48.28

Scot Robison: 48.62

David Walters: 48.11

Ryan had the second fastest time, which probably means he won't be in the finals with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Nathan Adrian. It will probably be either David Walters, who had the fastest time, or Garrett Weber-Gale, who had the most impressive time given it wasn't a relay start.

More later

Men's 400m free relay

2011-07-23T15:22:00.004-05:00

The prelims for the 400m free relay are tonight in the U.S. I can't wait to find out who will be swimming for the U.S. My predictions for the lineups are:

prelims

Garrett Weber Gale

David Walters

Scot Robison

Jason Lesak

finals

Michael Phelps

Ryan Lochte

Jason Lesak

Nathan Adrian

I think Lesak will swim the prelims because his only individual event is the 100 free and he has less swims overall than Lochte, Phelps and Adrian. Also he's obviously a great relay swimmer who will ensure a great finish for the U.S.

It is possible that Adrian may swim in the prelims, just to ensure a good time and a good lane, but all of the U.S. swimmers are so fast I don't think it will be necessary.

Phelps and Lochte have too many other swims throughout the meet for their 7 and 6 events respectfully. I do not believe they will be asked to swim the relay prelim.

If Weber Gale, Walters or Robison has a faster swim than Lesak in the prelims, it is possible he would be replaced in the finals.

Those are my guesses. We'll find out in a few hours.

USA Swimming Press Conference - July 23 in Shanghai

2011-07-23T12:40:00.001-05:00

More photos from the press conference and training - July 23, 2011

2011-07-23T10:49:00.010-05:00

Pre-Worlds Article about Ryan Lochte

2011-07-23T01:41:00.001-05:00

http://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/local-sports/2011/07/23/minus-the-junk-food-lochte-ready-for-the-spotlight.html

Ryan Lochte meets with journalists during a new conference at the FINA 2011 Swimming World Championships in Shanghai, China, today. (AP | Michael Sohn)

Worth Noting

This is the biggest meet since last summer for Ryan Lochte, when in two straight major events (the U.S. National Championships and the Pan Pacific Championships) he outperformed Michael Phelps. Lochte beat Phelps in the 200 IM and the 200 back at nationals, the first time the Spruce Creek grad had beaten Phelps at a major meet.

Now, one year out from the 2012 Olympics in London, the two square off again. Lochte says he's in the best shape of his life, which is good since Phelps has been steadily improving in 2011 after a disastrous (for him) 2010.

The two could face each other in the 200 IM final (Lochte's best event) and the 200 freestyle.

Outside of facing his rival Phelps, a strong showing by Lochte in Shanghai would give him momentum going into the 2012 Olympics and would start the NBC hype machine rolling in his favor.

Lochte's six events

400 free relay

Heats — 9 tonight; finals — 6 a.m. Sunday

200 free

Heats — 9 p.m. Sunday, semifinals — 6 a.m. Monday, finals — 6 a.m. Tuesday

200 IM

Heats — 9 p.m. Tuesday; semifinals — 6 a.m. Wednesday; finals — 6 a.m. Thursday

200 back

Heats — 9 p.m. Wednesday; semifinals — 6 a.m. Thursday; finals — 6 a.m. Friday

800 free relay

Heats — 9 p.m. Thursday; finals — 6 a.m. Friday

400 IM

Heats — 9 p.m. July 30; finals — 6 a.m. July 31 NOTE: Times are the start of the morning/evening session, and for each event are approximate

On the Web:

Coverage of the swim meet at universalsports.com

VIDEO: Ryan Lochte's recent Gatorade commercial

GAINESVILLE -- There are more than two dozen fast-food restaurants less than three miles from the University of Florida's O'Connell Center, where Ryan Lochte pretty much lives most of the year.

He hasn't set foot in any of them in four months.

Read that again, as your jaw returns from the floor to its normal spot. Lochte, a man who inhaled predominantly fast food for most of his life, a man who won six Olympic swimming medals and brought fame to Spruce Creek High School, doesn't eat Big Macs or Whoppers anymore.

He's given up his beloved Skittles and all other candy, too. This is a huge development in the life of the 26-year-old. He adored junk food, ate it constantly. At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he ate nothing but McDonald's for two weeks.

Imagine the Cookie Monster giving up Chips Ahoy. Or Superman tossing aside his cape.

"I just don't eat that stuff anymore, and I really don't want to," Lochte said during a pre-practice interview last month. "I'm not even tempted anymore."

As Lochte heads into maybe the biggest meet of his career -- the 2011 World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China -- his radically improved diet (changed at the urging of his new sponsor, Gatorade, and the scientists at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute) is just one major difference in his life right now.

For maybe the first time ever, Lochte -- who will swim in his first of six events tonight -- is seen by many in the swim community as being on the same plane as the legendary Michael Phelps.

For six years, Lochte chased Phelps around the globe, nipping at his heels and playing second fiddle. In 2010, Lochte caught him. He beat Phelps head to head, twice, at the U.S. National Championships last August in California, then outshone him three weeks later at the Pan Pacific Games, winning six golds to Phelps five.

Those performances had all-time greats like Rowdy Gaines calling Lochte "the best swimmer in the world."

For the first time in his life, Lochte is the man to beat, the guy on center stage. Sports Illustrated just ran a big profile of him in this week's issue. Gatorade has shot several commercials starring Lochte, running during ESPN's SportsCenter and on NBC's World Championships coverage. The 2012 London Olympics are just a year away, and loom tantalizingly as a place where Lochte can vault from champion to legend.

The hunter has become the hunted. In four individual events and two relays over the next week, the world will be watching the shaggy-haired kid from Port Orange.

"This is the biggest program, by far, we've ever done in an international meet," Lochte's coach, Gregg Troy, said. "So, it's a big challenge. But Ryan is still Ryan. He's not fazed one bit."

Healthy and strong

Of course Lochte's not fazed. This is a man who still doesn't think he's famous.

But he knows that since last August's breakthroughs, his perception in the sport has changed a bit.

"I know what people say on the Internet and other places, and it's never been something I worry about," he said, relaxing by the pool in a black Florida Gators T-shirt and blue shorts. "I'm aware of it, yeah. But I still know that to become great, I have to tune it out and focus on what I need to do."

The changes go beyond his diet, but that was a major one. Ignoring requests from his father, Steve Lochte, and Troy over the years to improve his diet, Lochte finally succumbed when the Gatorade scientists came to Gainesville in February to do some testing, as they do with many of the company's new signees (The Sports Science Institute did not return phone calls seeking comment for this story.)

As Lochte was put through cardiovascular and other workouts, he was told that while he was scoring highly on the tests, he could be doing better.

"And that was a big eye-opener for me, because if I could be even better in swimming, why not do it?" Lochte said.

Troy smiled when asked about the diet improvement.

"Sometimes," he said, "the light comes on a little late for some people."

Besides eating better (grilled chicken and vegetables are a new staple) Lochte has increased his training with UF strength coach Matt DeLancey to put himself "in the best shape of my life."

He's bulked up to 197 pounds and worries a little bit if that extra muscle mass might hurt him in the pool.

"My results haven't been what I've wanted them to be this year," Lochte said, alluding to a few disappointing minor meets, "but it doesn't concern me too much, because I know I'll be able to swim my best at the biggest (meets)."

Indeed, 2011 hasn't been stellar for Lochte so far, results-wise. But Troy said Lochte's training has been "as good as it's been since college." He credits the high quality of swimmers who train with Lochte in Gainesville (including the recent addition of three-time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay) for making his star pupil better.

"Ryan's used to being in a group where he could dominate the other swimmers anytime he wanted to," Troy said. "He can't do that as easily anymore."

Maturing out of the pool

While his swimming career hits its peak, Lochte has made some changes outside the water as well.

He's even (gasp) matured from the kid who two years ago tore his knee up while breakdancing.

Now, the kid who once drove his new sports car 130 mph on a secluded road in Gainesville ("Yeah, that was pretty stupid," he said with a laugh) doesn't take nearly as many risks.

He scrapped a planned sky-diving attempt in Hawaii last year after Troy talked him out of it.

Lochte, who is still single and lives with his brother, Devon, and longtime friend Rex Tullius, doesn't party like he used to, either. (Of course, not everything has changed: He did still suffer his customary injury before a major meet, straining the MCL in his left knee while getting out of his car awkwardly in April. The injury is just about fully healed.)

These are all signs that the kid who used to just "show up and race" realizes the precious opportunities that are in front of him, and is taking his craft extremely seriously. If he beats Phelps head to head twice in the next week (they're slated to both compete in the 200 individual medley and the 200 free), he'll have a huge psychological advantage heading into London.

And the pressure and fame, just beginning to rise upwards, will skyrocket.

"I'm not thinking about London yet," Lochte said. "The plan is to win a lot of medals (in China) and if I play my cards right, that'll happen."

Photos of Ryan at Press Conference & Training - July 23

2011-07-22T23:56:00.005-05:00