Sports Headlines

Phelps Edges Lochte In The 200-Meter Individual Medley

Michael Phelps won another duel with Ryan Lochte at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, edging his rival to take the 200-meter individual medley Saturday night at CenturyLink Center Omaha.

Posted: $util.date("h:mm a MMM d, yyyy",$story.contentLiveDate,$timeZone)
Reporter: The Associated Press

Michael Phelps won another duel with Ryan Lochte at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, edging his rival to take the 200-meter individual medley Saturday night at CenturyLink Center Omaha.

Phelps had a significant advantage, coming in fresh while Lochte had to recover quickly after winning the 200 backstroke a half-hour earlier.

If Lochte was tired, he sure didn't look it, going stroke for stroke with the 14-time Olympic gold medalist. But Phelps led at every turn and got to the wall in 1 minute, 54.84 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.

Lochte was right behind in 1:54.93. The two slapped hands and now head to London for the races that really matter.

Anthony Ervin posted the top time in the semifinals of the 50-meter freestyle. After going fastest in the morning prelims, the 31-year-old Ervin turned in another blistering performance. Never lifting his head, he went from one end of the pool to the other in 21.74 seconds, tied for the third-quickest time in the world this year.

Nathan Adrian, already the 100 free winner at trials, tied with Josh Schneider for the second spot (21.81). Also advancing to the Sunday final was Cullen Jones in 22.08.

Ervin was co-gold medalist in the 50 free at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but retired from swimming before he got a chance to defend his title. He returned to the pool last year.

Natalie Coughlin hung on to make her third Olympics with a sixth-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle, giving her a chance to win a record-tying 12th Olympic medal in London. But it won't be in an individual event.

The 29-year-old Californian had already missed out in the 100 backstroke, where she is the two-time defending Olympic champion, and the 100 butterfly. Coughlin was down to her last chance in the 100 free, needing a top-six finish in the eight-woman final to earn consideration for the 400 free relay team. She got it by beating out Dana Vollmer by 17-hundreds of a second for the sixth and last spot.

Rebecca Soni claimed a second individual event for the London Olympic, cruising to an easy win in the 200-meter breaststroke. Soni was slow off the blocks and made the first turn in fourth place, but she surged to the lead on the second lap and steadily pulled away, winning with the fastest time in the world this year, 2 minutes, 21.13 seconds.

Micah Lawrence claimed the second Olympic spot in 2:23.03. Amanda Beard missed out on making a fifth Olympic team, fading to sixth (2:26.42).