By John Lohn
BEIJING, China, August 14. AS his quest for eight gold medals continues, Michael Phelps will face one of his biggest challenges in the final of the 200 individual medley. After the morning semifinals, the American pair of Ryan Lochte and Phelps sit first and second for what should be a dazzling final. Four years ago, Phelps won gold with Lochte taking silver.
Less than an hour after winning his semifinal of the 200 backstroke, Lochte accomplished the same feat in the medley. The second-fastest performer in history in the event, Lochte registered a time of 1:57.69 while Phelps won the first semifinal in 1:57.70. Of all of Phelps' individual events, the 200 individual medley is considered one of his two toughest tasks, along with the 100 butterfly.
Of course, Phelps has already collected gold in the 200 freestyle, 200 butterfly, 400 individual medley and 400 and 800 freestyle relays – all in world-record time. Lochte has been looking better each day of the meet, having shaken off the stomach ailment that bothered him during the early portion of the competition.
Qualifying in the third and fourth positions were Brazil's Thiago Pereira (1:58.06) and Hungary's Laszlo Cseh (1:58.19), the silver medalist in the 400 IM and 200 butterfly. Japan's Ken Takakuwa was fifth with a mark of 1:58.49 and sixth went to Great Britain's James Goddard (1:58.63). Rounding out the field for the final were Great Britain's Liam Tancock (1:59.42) and Canada's Keith Beavers (1:59.43).
