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ROME, Italy, July 30. WITH Michael Phelps sitting out the event, Ryan Lochte had a golden opportunity in the men's 200 IM at the FINA World Championships.
Lochte charged through the sprint medley with a 1:54.10 to lower Phelps' world record of 1:54.23 set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That performance bettered Lochte's best time of 1:54.56 set in July.
Here are the comparative splits:
Lochte: 24.72, 53.20 (28.48), 1:26.28 (33.08), 1:54.10 (27.82)
Phelps: 24.59, 53.40 (28.81), 1:26.90 (33.50), 1:54.23 (27.33)
Hungary's Laszlo Cseh picked up the silver with a sterling time of 1:55.24, coming off an illness that put him in the hospital earlier this month. Eric Shanteau of the U.S., meanwhile, completed the podium with a bronze-winning 1:55.36.
Brazil's Thiago Pereira (1:55.55), Australia's Leith Brodie (1:56.69), Great Britain's James Goddard (1:57.93), Japan's Ken Takakuwa (1:58.02) and Hungary's Gergo Kis (1:59.32) joined Lochte in the world record producing finale.