Nothing changed Thursday night, as Phelps thoroughly dominated the field in the men’s 200 Individual Medley at the Rio Olympics.
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Phelps became the third Olympian to win the same individual event at four straight Games, joining discus thrower Al Oerter and Carl Lewis in the long jump in achieving the feat. Lochte won gold in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2012 Olympics in addition to his silver at 200-meter.
Phelps led from Pereira and Lochte at the final turn and powered on as the other two faded, opening the way for Hagino and Wang to grab the two other medals.
Lochte finished second swimming in an adjacent lane to Phelps in their semifinal Wednesday.
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, Olympic roommates, are enjoying the athlete’s village maintained a chilled atmosphere. “We have one more time to hop in the pool and duke it out”.
One said: “I know few people more professional, or better, than Elliotte”.
Billed as a second duel in the pool, this time between him and United States teammate Ryan Lochte, it ended as a one-sided contest with Phelps in a class of his own.
Lochte and Michael Phelps are friends. “Ryan Lochte is going to beat Michael Phelps!”, he said. Most recently, Phelps, with help from his fellow Team USA swimmers, won his 20 career Olympic gold and he did so with style.
Adrian will face a stiff challenge from Australian sprinters Cameron McEvoy and Kyle Chalmers, the 18-year-old revelation of Rio who broke the 48-minute mark for the first time in heats and semis here to thrust himself into the medal conversation. “He and I have been racing each other since 2004”.
Australia’s Mitch Larkin grabbed the silver in 1:53.96, just ahead of Russia’s Evgeny Rylov with the bronze in 1:53.97. “Any time I get up and race him, it’s the best”. Also in the lineup is Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first American to compete in the Games wearing a hijab.
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It was the second time that the women’s 100 freestyle had ended in such a fashion – the 1984 Los Angeles Games saw a tie between Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer.
