Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr
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GOLD COAST, Australia, August 23.
A day after his first international gold medal since his return came by way of the 800 free relay, the Greatest of All Time Michael Phelps also ascended to the top of the podium individually on the international stage with a sizzling 51.29 in the finale. He did so against longtime rival Ryan Lochte, who took silver for the U.S. with a 51.67.
Phelps still holds the top time in the world with a 51.17 from Nationals, but that time came during prelims. Tonight, he finally put together a second swim worthy of victory as his comeback from an 18-month retirement continues. Lochte, meanwhile, could not clear his fifth-ranked 51.55 from prelims to secure a spot on the 2015 World Roster in this event as Tom Shields’ 51.29 from U.S. Nationals held up to tonight’s scrutiny to keep him on the Kazan roster. With that outcome, Lochte now has just two individual events for 2015 Worlds in the 200 free and 200 IM.
Japan’s Hirofumi Ikebata clinched bronze in 52.50, while Australia’s Tommaso D’Orsogna took fourth in 52.67.
Brazil’s Thiago Pereira (52.71), Australia’s Chris Wright (52.75), Japan’s Kenta Hirai (52.84) and Brazil’s Nicholas Santos (53.22) rounded out the championship heat.
A Final Results
1 PHELPS, MICHAEL 29 UNITED STATES 51.57 51.29 916
r:+0.66 24.62 51.29 (26.67)
2 LOCHTE, RYAN 30 UNITED STATES 51.55 51.67 896
r:+0.67 24.25 51.67 (27.42)
3 IKEBATA, HIROFU 22 JAPAN 52.71 52.50 854
r:+0.65 24.21 52.50 (28.29)
4 D'ORSOGNA, TOMM 23 AUSTRALIA 52.56 52.67 846
r:+0.66 24.25 52.67 (28.42)
5 PEREIRA, THIAGO 28 BRAZIL 52.91 52.71 844
r:+0.64 24.57 52.71 (28.14)
6 WRIGHT, CHRIS 26 AUSTRALIA 53.12 52.75 842
r:+0.64 24.80 52.75 (27.95)
7 HIRAI, KENTA 20 JAPAN 52.70 52.84 838
r:+0.63 24.92 52.84 (27.92)
8 SANTOS, NICHOLA 34 BRAZIL 53.58 53.22 820
r:+0.63 24.54 53.22 (28.68)
