Michael Phelps got back at Ryan Lochte, stretching out to win a thrilling 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials Wednesday night at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
Phelps got off to a stronger start than usual, leading at the first turn and holding the advantage through all four laps. Both swimmers got a big boost off the final turn with Lochte charging hard to chase down the winningest Olympian ever. But Phelps stretched out his right arm at the wall, touching just ahead of Lochte. The winning time was 1 minute, 45.70 seconds, five-hundredths of a second ahead of Lochte.
Both will head to London to resume their rivalry at the Olympics.
Missy Franklin is heading to the Olympics, pushing to the wall with a stunning finish to win the 100-meter backstroke and deny Natalie Coughlin a chance to defend her title in London.
The 17-year-old Franklin signaled a changing of the guard in the event Coughlin won at the last two Olympics. Coming back just 20 minutes after the semifinals of the 200 freestyle, she chased down Coughlin on the return lap to win with an American record of 58.85 seconds.
Coughlin started strong and was under world-record pace at the turn, but the 29-year-old couldn't hold off two teenagers. Eighteen-year-old Rachel Bootsma got past the 11-time Olympic medalist as well, claiming the second Olympic spot in 59.49. Coughlin was third in 1 minute, 0.06 seconds.
Breeja Larson's face said it all. First she looked confused, then startled and finally shocked. The Texas A&M sophomore had just out-touched world champion Rebecca Soni to win the 100-meter breaststroke and earn herself a ticket to London.
Larson won in 1 minute, 5.92 seconds with Soni closing quickly in 1:05.99 to take the second spot on the U.S. team. Jessica Hardy missed out by finishing third in 1:06.53.
Larson, who didn't start swimming competitively until 17, pulled off the night's biggest upset in her first time at trials. Soni and Hardy, who both train at Southern California, had been expected to claim both Olympic berths.
