2012 London Olympics - actual order of events

The full schedule can be found here:  http://swimming.about.com/od/2012olympicswimming/tp/2012-Olympic-Swimming-Schedule-of-Events.htm

If he swims 9 events, and only swims the finals of the relays, he'll have 23 swims.  Crazy.   I do not think he will swim the 100 back, 100 free or 100 fly as individual events if he swims them at trials and qualifies.  I think he'll use the trials swims to prove he should be on the 4 x 100 relays and that's it.  Even then he'd have 7 events and 14 swims.

Saturday, July 28

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Men's 400m Individual Medley 10:00
• Women's 100m Butterfly 10:31
• Men's 400m Freestyle 10:58
• Women's 400m Individual Medley 11:51
• Men's 100m Breaststroke 12:15
• Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay 12:52

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Men's 400m Individual Medley Final 19:30
• Women's 100m Butterfly Semifinals 19:40
• Men's 400m Freestyle Final 19:51
• Men's 400m Individual Medley Medal Ceremony 19:59
• Women's 400m Individual Medley Final 20:09
• Men's 400m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:18
• Men's 100m Breaststroke Semifinals 20:28
• Women's 400m Ind. Medley Medal Ceremony 20:38
• Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Final 20:48
• Women's 4x100m Free Relay Medal Ceremony 20:59

Sunday, July 29

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Women's 100m Backstroke 10:00
• Men's 200m Freestyle 10:24
• Women's 100m Breaststroke 11:13
• Men's 100m Backstroke 11:38
• Women's 400m Freestyle 12:10
• Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 12:41

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Women's 100m Butterfly Final 19:30
• Men's 200m Freestyle Semifinals 19:36
• Women's 100m Breaststroke Semifinals 19:47
• Women's 100m Butterfly Medal Ceremony 19:57
• Men's 100m Breaststroke Final 20:07
• Women's 400m Freestyle Final 20:13
• Men's 100m Backstroke Semifinals 20:24
• Men's 100m Breaststroke Medal Ceremony 20:34
• Women's 100m Backstroke Semifinals 20:45
• Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Final 20:55
• Women's 400m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 21:03
• Men's 4 x 100m Free Relay Medal Ceremony 21:13

Monday, July 30

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Women's 200m Freestyle 10:00
• Men's 200m Butterfly 10:38
• Women's 200m Individual Medley 11:06

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Women's 200m Freestyle Semifinals 19:30
• Men's 200m Freestyle Final 19:43
• Women's 100m Backstroke Final 19:50
• Men's 100m Backstroke Final 19:58
• Men's 200m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:04
• Women's 100m Breaststroke Final 20:15
• Women's 100m Backstroke Medal Ceremony 20:21
• Men's 200m Butterfly Semifinals 20:31
• Men's 100m Backstroke Medal Ceremony 20:43
• Women's 200m Individual Medley Semifinals 20:53
• Women's 100m Breaststroke Medal Ceremony 21:05

Tuesday, July 31

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Men's 100m Freestyle 10:00
• Women's 200m Butterfly 10:44
• Men's 200m Breaststroke 11:14
• Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 11:45

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Men's 100m Freestyle Semifinals 19:30
• Women's 200m Freestyle Final 19:41
• Men's 200m Butterfly Final 19:48
• Women's 200m Butterfly Semifinals 19:55
• Women's 200m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:07
• Men's 200m Breaststroke Semifinals 20:17
• Men's 200m Butterfly Medal Ceremony 20:29
• Women's 200m Individual Medley Final 20:39
• Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final 20:46
• Women's 200m Ind. Medley Medal Ceremony 20:58
• Men's 4 x 200m Free Relay Medal Ceremony 21:08

Wednesday, August 1

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Women's 100m Freestyle 10:00
• Men's 200m Backstroke 10:39
• Women's 200m Breaststroke 11:10
• Men's 200m Individual Medley 11:47
• Women's 4x200m Freestyle Relay 12:35

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Men's 200m Breaststroke Final 19:30
• Women's 100m Freestyle Semifinals 19:37
• Men's 200m Backstroke Semifinals 19:48
• Men's 200m Breaststroke Medal Ceremony 19:59
• Women's 200m Butterfly Final 20:09
• Men's 100m Freestyle Final 20:16
• Women's 200m Breaststroke Semifinals 20:23
• Men's 200m Individual Medley Semifinals 20:37
• Women's 200m Butterfly Medal Ceremony 20:49
• Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final 20:59
• Men's 100m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 21:11
• Women's 4x200m Free Relay Medal Ceremony 21:21

Thursday, August 2

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Men's 50m Freestyle 10:00
• Women's 800m Freestyle 10:33
• Men's 100m Butterfly 11:10
• Women's 200m Backstroke 11:49

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Men's 50m Freestyle Semifinals 19:30
• Women's 200m Breaststroke Final 19:39
• Men's 200m Backstroke Final 19:46
• Women's 200m Backstroke Semifinals 19:53
• Women's 200m Breaststroke Medal Ceremony 20:05
• Men's 200m Individual Medley Final 20:15
• Men's 200m Backstroke Medal Ceremony 20:21
• Women's 100m Freestyle Final 20:31
• Men's 200m Ind. Medley Medal Ceremony 20:36
• Men's 100m Butterfly Semifinals 20:46
• Women's 100m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:56

Friday, August 3

Preliminary Heats (10:00)

• Women's 50m Freestyle 10:00
• Men's 1500m Freestyle 10:27
• Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay 12:06
• Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay 12:28

Finals / Semifinals (19:30)

• Women's 200m Backstroke Final 19:30
• Men's 100m Butterfly Final 19:37
• Women's 800m Freestyle Final 19:43
• Women's 200m Backstroke Medal Ceremony 19:55
• Men's 50m Freestyle Final 20:06
• Men's 100m Butterfly Medal Ceremony 20:11
• Women's 50m Freestyle Semifinals 20:21
• Women's 800m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:29
• Men's 50m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:40

Saturday, August 4

Day 8: Saturday 4 August 2012 - Olympic Aquatic Center London

Finals (19:30)

• Women's 50m Freestyle Final 19:30
• Men's 1500m Freestyle Final 19:36
• Women's 50m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 19:57
• Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final 20:07
• Men's 1500m Freestyle Medal Ceremony 20:15
• Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final 20:25
• Women's 4x100m Med. Relay Medal Ceremony 20:33
• Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Medal Ceremony 20:48

Sports Illustrated - Sports Figures to Watch in 2012

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

Sports Illustrated Olympics Preview

Phelps-Lochte Rivalry Take One Million

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.

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

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?

New article on Ryan Lochte in Floridian View

http://www.floridianview.com/Floridian-View/June-2011/Ryan-Lochte-Living-in-the-Moment/

(Click on the link for more photos)

MARCH BEAUBOEUF, FEATURE WRITER

When Ryan Lochte first moved to Florida he met his nemesis, an 11-year old kid named Brent Arckey. For three years Arckey owned Lochte until one evening after yet another loss in a junior championship meet. During the ride home, Ryan’s father, Steve Lochte, noticed his son’s downcast demeanor and asked what was wrong. “I lost,” said Ryan. “Well what are you going to do about it?” asked his father. “I’m never going to let that happen again.”

And he didn’t. At that moment a superstar athlete was not made, but an important part of his competitive psyche was forged as he embraced the power of his mind to help him overcome physical barriers. Similarly, when Ryan’s weakness as an underwater kicker was exposed in his first two years at the University of Florida, he simply set his mind on improving his technique. “My junior year I said, ‘I need to become a better kicker,’ and just like that I became one of the world’s best.”

But don’t just take Ryan's word for it. At the 2010 Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) Short Course World Championships in Dubai, Lochte became the first individual in history to collect seven medals. He also became the first person to set a world record without the full-length body suits that caused so many benchmarks to fall in the Beijing Olympics. Because the short course pool is half the length of a regular pool (25 meters as opposed to 50) more time is spent kicking underwater. This performance helped Lochte eclipse his new rival, Michael Phelps, on the way to being named World and American Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine and Best Male Swimmer by FINA Aquatics World Magazine.

Ryan moved to Port Orange at age 11 when father Steve and mother Ileana took over the Daytona Beach Speed swim team. A middle child with two older sisters and two younger brothers, Ryan’s mother often kicked the easily distracted youth out of practice. It was while serving one of these detentions that he met close friend Kyle Deery, now an account executive at U.S. Masters Swimming. After they both had been dismissed, they spent the rest of the practice simulating a rain forest in the locker room by turning on all the showers. As the friendship blossomed over the next five years, Deery began to see the competitive traits that mark Ryan’s success. He tells a story of how one day, between practices, he and Ryan invented an obstacle course involving a pool, a fence, two bicycles, and laps around the house. Competition was fun, no matter what the format.

Lochte credits his speed in the pool to his ideal strokes, and he credits his mother for teaching him at a young age, “I have a natural feel for the water. I have a natural perfect stroke that I developed as a kid. When I was younger I wasn’t doing a lot of yardage, I was just focusing on my stroke. I got my strokes from her, and it just carried on.” It is this dichotomy that defined Ryan's early development. Although he wasn’t grinding out laps in the pool every day, he had taken the time to learn and perfect the techniques that still serve him. For Lochte, the time he spent in Port Orange surfing, skateboarding and playing basketball were an important factor in keeping his interest in swimming, “You see a lot of young kids, nationally ranked, who are really good, and they are so young that by the time they get to college they burn out. It’s not fun for them anymore, and they end up quitting. For me, doing all those different sports and then finally realizing later in life that swimming was something I could excel in made all the difference.”

Lochte’s famous languor belies the desire that has driven him to the top of his sport. With six Olympic medals in two Games (three gold, two silver, and one bronze), and over fifty medals in major international competitions, he has already had an enviable career. However, these accomplishments do not impact his training for the 2011 World Aquatic Championships next month. Part of Lochte’s mental strength comes from his being in the moment. He doesn’t regard past achievements or failures too highly, and he doesn’t anticipate future results. In describing his attitude towards competing against Phelps, “At the end of the year you have one of three championships: the World Championship, the Pan-Pacific Championship, or the Olympics. You train all year for that one championship meet. Right after that meet I start a whole new year. No matter if I beat Phelps a hundred times, or if everyone declares me the world’s greatest swimmer, I put myself right after that meet at the bottom.”

Ryan likes to relax before a race by not thinking too much about it and is well-known for his disarming, pre-race chattiness. “I never think about swimming faster, I never think about my race, and I never think about a time. All I do is think about racing the people in the pool at that time. If I thought about the times I need it would make me slower.” At the 2010 Pan-Pacific Championships, Lochte turned in a Phelpsian performance gaining six gold medals. But 2011 is a clean slate that requires him to build up his performance to a peak display in July. After the event, he will give his medals to his parents, and focus on building himself up for the 2012 London Games. No stranger to injury before big races, his toughness is legendary, world records have fallen after a fractured foot and even severe sickness brought on by Beijing tap water couldn’t keep him from competing for his country.

Lochte is often described by friends and family as living in the moment. But he does give some consideration for his future. Now living in Gainesville, he’s ready to move on after the 2012 Olympics, possibly to California. Eight years in a college town is enough. And while he is single, ladies might find it difficult to get between him and the water. Ryan intends to continue his training to at least the 2016 Games, and has put no limit on his time in the sport, “Now I want to get to the point where I am regarded as one of the best swimmers that ever lived. For that I need to do something special, something like what Michael did.” For someone like Ryan Lochte, thinking it just might make it so.

Ryan has qualified for 2012 Olympic trials in 10 of 13 individual events

According to the "2012 Olympic Trials Preview" at USAswimming.org, Ryan qualified for the 2012 Olympic trials in 10 of 13 individual events. The only events he hasn't qualified for are 1500m free, 100m breast and 200m breast. He's swimming 100m breast this weekend, maybe he'll qualify in that event too!

Read the list here:

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/6871e7e7-9fb0-4319-9397-b961be16a098/2012%20Olympic%20Trials%20Preview%20-%20Men.pdf

Indy Grand Prix post-meet report by The Swimmers Circle

The Swimmers Circle, one of my favorite blogs, had an entry earlier today called "Thoughts from the Indianapolis Grand Prix." It was written by Tom Willdridge, who also writes for a different blog I like called Speed Endurance Swimming Blog.

Here's what was said about Ryan:

• It is hard to imagine how Ryan Lochte felt about the weekend. His 100m Back time, 54.08, was superb and just 0.7 seconds off his best time. A future 52-second 100m Back effort looks to be a certainty rather than a possibility for Lochte. His other times were strong, although not spectacular. Swimming in (colourful) briefs he is clearly has his mind set on later in the year. However, in one weekend Phelps has essentially dismissed 2010 as a ‘nothing year’. If you took a straw poll of who the best swimmer in the world is right now, I doubt Lochte occupies the top spot any longer.

It must be grating for Lochte to have to answer all the old questions about Phelps’, rather than his own greatness. Interestingly he reverted to the age old media tactic of quoting his coach, ‘my coach says this is the best he’s seen me in the past four years’.

Read the full blog here: http://theswimmerscircle.com/blog/featured/thoughts-from-the-indianapolis-grand-prix/

Read the Speed Endurance blog here: http://speedendurance.blogspot.com/

I think what he is saying is Ryan had a good meet, especially given how hard Ryan trains in season. The 100m back time really is exciting. I can't wait to see if Ryan will get a shot at swimming back in the the medley relay at Worlds now that Aaron Peirsol has retired.

Ryan is going to have a really tough choice at Olympic Trials with the 100 back and 200 free on the same day. Does he give up the 200 free as an individual event and go for the 100 back like he did in 2008? Or does he give up the 100 back and go for the 200 free? Does he go for both? It's such a hard double, especially when he has another hard double later in the week with the 200 IM/200 back.

I'm sure he wants to avoid what happened at the 2008 Olympic Trials, which had to be heartbreaking. He decided to skip the 200 free final and concentrate on the 100 back. He finished 3rd. At the end of Trials, Ryan had the second fastest time in the 200 free, but because it was achieved in semi-finals and not the finals, it didn't count towards qualifying. Thus, he didn't qualify for either individual event.

Given how well Ryan swam the 200 free last summer, it has to be tempting to pick that event over the 100 back if he has to pick one. But qualifying in the 100 back gets him in the 400 medley relay. The U.S. has so many world class 100 backstrokers, so the risk factor of finishing 3rd or lower increases. But the retirement of Aaron Peirsol changes that a bit because he used to have one spot all tied up. The swimmers are now essentially competing for 2 open spots rather than just one.

It will be so interesting to see how it all unfolds

2012 Olympic schedule announced - Timing of Ryan Lochte's possible events

It looks exactly like Beijing....

The entire schedule can be found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_02_11_olympicschedule.pdf

Here is a breakdown of the timing of Ryan's possible events: 400m IM, 100m back, 200m free, 100m free, 200m back, 200m IM and all three relays. If Ryan wants to swim all of these events, he will have two extremely difficult doubles: 100m back/200m free and 200m back/200m IM.

July 28 - morning
Men's 400m IM - heats

July 28 - evening

Men's 400m IM - finals

July 29 - morning
Men's 100m back heats
Men's 200m free heats
Men's 4 x 100m free relay heats

July 29 - evening
Men's 100m back semi-finals
Men's 200m free semi-finals
Men's 4 x 100m free relay finals

July 30 - morning
nothing

July 30 - evening
Men's 100m back finals
Men's 200m free finals

July 31 - morning
Men's 100m free heats
Men's 4 x 200m free relay heats

July 31 - evening
Men's 100m free semi-finals
Men's 4 x 200m free relay finals

August 1 - morning
Men's 200m back heats
Men's 200m IM heats

August 1 - evening
Men's 200m back semi-finals
Men's 200m IM semi-finals
Men's 100m free finals

August 2 - morning
nothing

August 2 - evening
Men's 200m back finals
Men's 200m IM finals

August 3 - morning
Men's 4 x 100m medley relay prelims

August 3 - evening
nothing

August 4 - evening
Men's 4 x 100m medley relay finals

ESPN Interview with Ryan Lochte - November 22, 2010

http://espn.go.com/olympics/blog/_/name/olympics/id/5839707/qa-with-swimmer-ryan-lochte

Go to the site, there's a video.

Here's the Q & A:

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte sat down with us in New York City hours before the annual Golden Goggle Awards. His dominating performance at this past summer's Pan Pacific Championships, where he won four individual and two relay gold medals, made him a slam-dunk nominee for several honors including Male Athlete of the Year, which he won in 2009. The following are excerpts from the conversation.

Question from Bonnie D. Ford: You've been to two previous Olympics. Is there anything about the "year before" season -- I know it's a World Championships year -- that you're going to try to repeat or avoid in 2011?

Answer from Ryan Lochte: Getting injured. That was definitely a setback. At the same time, I think it helped me. But I really don't need to be out of the water for that long again. I'm trying to stay safe. I always end up getting hurt every year. Dancing was last year. [Editor's note: Lochte tore the meniscus in his left knee break-dancing in October 2009.] The year before that, I fractured my shoulder. Year before that, I fractured my foot skateboarding.

Q: How did you fracture your shoulder?

A: I fell out of a tree. I was playing hide-and-go-seek with my little baby brother.

Q: [Laughs] I know, it's not funny.

A: Actually, it's hilarious, because I'm not supposed to be doing those things. But I've got to be able to do those kinds of things no matter what the consequences are.

Q: Your playful nature requires it?

A: Yeah. If I just swam all day, I'd lose it. That's why I do so many other activities. It keeps me sane.

Q: So what's your compromise then, if you want to stay safe?

A: I don't know, I've got to find another kind of hobby ... I had my [knee] surgery last October, was out of the water for seven months, got back in the water around April, trained until July, went to Pan Pacs in August and now I'm back.

Q: So when you say being injured helped you ...

A: It helped me because I was getting really frustrated with myself because I couldn't work out, I couldn't do any kind of exercise. Once I got back in the pool, I was a more motivated swimmer. I was more dedicated to the sport, changing old habits, getting into things that were a lot better for me. It definitely made me a better swimmer all around.

Q: You must have lost a lot of muscle mass.

A: I lost all my muscle, and one of the things I did change was my diet. I couldn't eat the same stuff or else I'd just get fat and it would be that much harder to work off. I started eating healthy, so that was a plus.

Q: You ate a lot of McDonald's in Beijing.

A: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was comfortable with that. I knew what I was getting.

Q: But you're avoiding it now.

A: I'll go maybe like once every two weeks.

Q: You're slated to go to Dubai next month for the Short Course World Championships. Do you have any qualms about going there so soon after Fran Crippen's death? [Editor's note: Crippen died in an open-water race last month in another part of the United Arab Emirates.] I know there's a lot of anger among his friends.

A: It's a tragedy. He was a good friend and I know their whole family pretty well. What happened to Fran is going to be in all of our hearts. But as far as I'm concerned, it's just another swim meet in a different place.

Q: You've said your intention is to race as many events as possible in London [at the 2012 Olympics]. Are you going to use worlds [in China in July] as a sort of test run for that?

A: In Shanghai, I'm going to swim six events -- two relays and four individual events. The 200 and 400 IM, 200 backstroke, 200 freestyle, the 4x200 freestyle relay, the 4x100 freestyle relay. I feel like I can swim more, but since I did those events at Pan Pacs, I already have a feel for it, for how hard it's going to be. I'm ready for it. I love challenges.

Q: You obviously had experience swimming two medal events very close together in Beijing. I know it's hard physically because you have no time to recover, but is there any advantage to not having any time to think, or get anxious or stressed?

A: For me, no, because I don't get nervous before a race. But I have to train for it in practice. It'll be hard.

There are 17 men's swimming events in the Olympics and Ed Moses believes Ryan can qualify for 10

This is a fantastic interview. I could listen to these guys talk about swimming all day long. Interesting insight into Fran Crippen's life, Ed Moses' return to swimming and Ryan's potential for the 2012 Olympics.

Of the 17 men's events, Ed Moses believes Ryan could qualify for 10: 100/200 back, 100/200 free, 200/400 IM, 400m free relay, 800m free relay, 400m medley relay and.....200 fly. Garrett believes Ryan would have a better chance in the 400 free or maybe the 100 breast for his 10th event. Can't wait for the next two years to unfold.

Coming up: In December 2010 we get to see how Ryan does at Short Course Worlds, where he's always excelled. But first, he's swimming at the Minnesota Grand Prix next weekend. Very happy the swimming season is starting up again.

How many events will Ryan Lochte swim in the 2012 Olympics (Swimming World Magazine poll)

Vote here (scroll down, bottom right side)

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/

I voted 7.

Ryan Lochte Interviews April 2010 - Swimmingworld.tv and Gold Medal Mel

Peter Busch interviewed Ryan for swimmingworld.tv. We learn that Ryan's injured knee is 90% healed, although he still can't swim breaststroke. Ryan is hoping to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in the 400 IM. So glad he's not giving that up. Ryan said he hopes to qualify in "9 or 10 events" including the 200/400 IM, 100/200 back, 100/200 free and all 3 relays! Ryan talks about changes in his training, including strongman weight workouts and eating well. Wonder if this means no more McDonalds.

http://www.swimnetwork.com/Multimedia/Media-Center.aspx#/id=8848fb22-a77d-4955-bcc1-319b14c126bc/


Gold Medal Mel interviewed Ryan for swimnetwork.com. Ryan talked more about his strongman weight workouts and how he is in his hard training right now, swimming two practices almost every day. Couldn't get this video to embed.