Sun-Lochte rivalry to the fore
Source: Agencies |
July 30, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SUN Yang and Ryan Lochte provided a mouth-watering appetizer ahead of the most anticipated race of the swimming competition when they posted the fastest qualifying times for the men's 200 meters freestyle yesterday.
The pair, who each won gold medals on the opening night of swimming, both qualified for the semifinals and gave a sneak preview of what today's final could offer when they went stroke for stroke over four laps during an exhilarating morning heat session.
Swimming in the lanes next to each other, Lochte and Sun treated their heat like a game of cat and mouse, eyeballing each other over the first three and a half laps before shifting up another gear in the last 25 meters.
China's Sun, who won the 400 freestyle gold medal on Saturday, got his hand on the wall first in a time of one minute 46.24 seconds with Lochte a close second. But neither men were trying their hardest as they try to manage their busy programs. Lochte was in hot demand after he demolished his opponents, including Phelps, to win the 400 individual medley on Saturday.
"The 400 IM took a lot out of me last night but it is a new day," Lochte said. "I didn't get to bed until 2am."
South Korea's Park Tae-hwan was fifth fastest. He finished runner-up to Sun in the 400 free after being disqualified in the heats but winning an appeal to be reinstated.
First plunge
Germany's world record holder Paul Biedermann was 10th. Phelps, who won the race in Beijing four years ago, did not enter this time despite winning the event at the US trials, saying he wanted to save himself for the relay.
Crack Australian sprinter James Magnussen took his first plunge into the Olympic pool, anchoring his teammates to the fastest time in the 4x100 freestyle relay, just ahead of the United States.
The Americans face a difficult decision picking their lineup for the final with Michael Phelps and Lochte, who did not swim the event at the US trials, likely to be called up.
"There could be a lot of politics but our team is pretty mature - we understand the coaches probably know best," said Matt Grevers, who swam in the heats.
On Saturday, Phelps was routed by his American rival in the 400m individual medley, losing to Lochte by more than 4 seconds. That's not all: The winningest Olympian ever didn't win any medal at all, the first time that's happened in a race of this magnitude since he was a 15-year-old kid competing in just one event at the Sydney Games, a dozen years ago.
"It was horrible," Phelps told coach Bob Bowman when he climbed out.
Bowman's reply: "It was."
Lochte turned the much-anticipated duel with Phelps into a blowout, raising serious questions about whether the guy who has won 14 gold medals and 16 medals overall has anything left in the tank for his Olympic farewell.
Phelps is planning to retire as soon as he finishes the last of his seven races in London, but he looked ready to call it a career while struggling just to pull himself from the water when his first event was done.
The pair, who each won gold medals on the opening night of swimming, both qualified for the semifinals and gave a sneak preview of what today's final could offer when they went stroke for stroke over four laps during an exhilarating morning heat session.
Swimming in the lanes next to each other, Lochte and Sun treated their heat like a game of cat and mouse, eyeballing each other over the first three and a half laps before shifting up another gear in the last 25 meters.
China's Sun, who won the 400 freestyle gold medal on Saturday, got his hand on the wall first in a time of one minute 46.24 seconds with Lochte a close second. But neither men were trying their hardest as they try to manage their busy programs. Lochte was in hot demand after he demolished his opponents, including Phelps, to win the 400 individual medley on Saturday.
"The 400 IM took a lot out of me last night but it is a new day," Lochte said. "I didn't get to bed until 2am."
South Korea's Park Tae-hwan was fifth fastest. He finished runner-up to Sun in the 400 free after being disqualified in the heats but winning an appeal to be reinstated.
First plunge
Germany's world record holder Paul Biedermann was 10th. Phelps, who won the race in Beijing four years ago, did not enter this time despite winning the event at the US trials, saying he wanted to save himself for the relay.
Crack Australian sprinter James Magnussen took his first plunge into the Olympic pool, anchoring his teammates to the fastest time in the 4x100 freestyle relay, just ahead of the United States.
The Americans face a difficult decision picking their lineup for the final with Michael Phelps and Lochte, who did not swim the event at the US trials, likely to be called up.
"There could be a lot of politics but our team is pretty mature - we understand the coaches probably know best," said Matt Grevers, who swam in the heats.
On Saturday, Phelps was routed by his American rival in the 400m individual medley, losing to Lochte by more than 4 seconds. That's not all: The winningest Olympian ever didn't win any medal at all, the first time that's happened in a race of this magnitude since he was a 15-year-old kid competing in just one event at the Sydney Games, a dozen years ago.
"It was horrible," Phelps told coach Bob Bowman when he climbed out.
Bowman's reply: "It was."
Lochte turned the much-anticipated duel with Phelps into a blowout, raising serious questions about whether the guy who has won 14 gold medals and 16 medals overall has anything left in the tank for his Olympic farewell.
Phelps is planning to retire as soon as he finishes the last of his seven races in London, but he looked ready to call it a career while struggling just to pull himself from the water when his first event was done.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
