Phelps finished with the fastest time in the semis at 1:55.78 while Lochte comes in second at 1:56.28.
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Meanwhile the men’s 100-meter freestyle, which took place earlier in the night, is one of the highlights of the Olympic swimming calendar. As she approached the first wall, Ledecky was closing in on the lead, and by the time she emerged from the water after one of her now-trademark power turns, she had pushed to the front. It will be a chance for the United States to add four more gold medals overall on the night.
Phelps – fresh off wins for his 20th and 21st gold medals – and teammate Ryan Lochte took the first and second spots, respectively, in the men’s 200 meter individual medley qualifier, with their sights set on winning medals in the final on Thursday.
“I was prepared for any circumstance, whether we were ahead or behind”, Ledecky said.
The other USA swimmers were Maya DiRado, who added a gold to go along with silver and bronze in the two individual medleys, and Leah Smith, who picked up her second medal of the games after earning bronze in the 400 free.
That was nearly two seconds in front of silver medallist Kosuke Hagino of Japan, the 400m individual medley champion who powered from fifth at the final wall to touch in 1:56.61.
Phelps has caught fire in his fifth and final Olympics, winning gold medals in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays and the 200m fly, and Lochte is under no illusions about the size of the task he faces.
Leonidas won the three events in four consecutive years: 164, 160, 156, and 152 B.C. The races were mostly similar to the 200 yard and 400 yard running events in today’s Olympics.
Phelps is now a ideal 4-for-4 in Olympic finals in Rio – two relay golds, two individual golds. The Americans are the top two all-time performers in the event. Yes, the 100 butterfly, in which he will swim for gold Friday, is compelling in part because it is the race which he won by a single hundredth of a second for the seventh of his eight gold medals in Beijing.
In the relay, Schmitt captured gold in what was likely the final race of her career.
Backs, arms and legs covered with red circles are already a common sight in China on men and women of all ages, but the practice has boomed in popularity since Phelps’ marks were spotted, practitioners say.
Lochte finished second swimming in an adjacent lane to Phelps in their semifinal Wednesday. “Tonight being on that relay with three of my best friends, I couldn’t have had more fun”. With one egg left in his basket, another 200 IM showdown against Phelps.
Two Australian sisters, Cate and Bronte Campbell will battle each other for the women’s 100 meter freestyle crown.
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That’s competition, that’s also a partnership, and that’s the story of Phelps and Lochte.
