“That event was kind of like my bread and butter, and that was the last time I’ll ever swim it”.
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His final opportunity in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium pool comes Thursday in his favorite event against his favorite rival – the 200 individual medley with Phelps. Two years ago, Russian Federation annexed his home of Crimea and he rejected changing nationality.
“This has all been in my training plan since January, and I qualified with the top result”, Hovorov said. Leonidas was very much an Olympian God, but Phelps comes very very close to him.
Swimming next to Lochte, Phelps put up an effortless-looking time of 1:55.78 to claim the prime middle lane in Thursday night’s final.
Where does that leave Lochte?
Phelps isn’t the only one using Eminem to get himself ready. Pieter Timmers of Germany won the silver with a time of 47.8 and Nathan Adrian, the defending gold medalist, failed to keep his title but came away with the bronze in 47.85. Phelps pulled ahead during a strong breaststroke leg. Lochte closed with a fast final 50 freestyle.
The links-style layout stretches 7,128 yards (6,515 meters) and was built in the hopes it can both challenge some of the world’s best in Rio de Janeiro and then grow the game in Brazil. “That’s why he brings out the best in me and hopefully I do the exact same for him”. The performance was reminiscent of the men’s 4×100 relay, in which Michael Phelps nearly single-handedly won the race for the U.S. In any other era, he would be a swimming god.
Leonidas of Rhodes would recognize a kindred spirit in Michael Phelps of Baltimore.
They are also roommates.
STREAM TIME: In a reflection of how viewing habits are changing, NBC said that by the end of Tuesday, people had already streamed more minutes of live Olympics coverage through the network’s website and app than for the entirety of the London Games. Oh, and did we mention she’ll be swimming for Stanford next year? “It’s just really relaxed”. She will swim the 800-meter freestyle, an event she owns, later in the week.
The last race of the storied rivalry between the two most decorated male Olympic swimmers of all time is all set.
Phelps has won every Olympic 200 IM since 2004.
The Brazilians have a stake in the 200 IM, too.
One thing Tafoya hasn’t answered: Why did the competition pool turn a deep shade of green?
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“It’s going to take a flawless performance in order to beat him just because of how tough a competitor he is”, Lochte said. “Win or lose, we’re still good friends”.
