Phelps owned the 200 IM for years.
Lochte beat him, and took the World Record, at last year's world championships.
Ryan Lochte NEW World Record 200m Individual Medley - YouTube
In the process, Lochte became the first person to set a LCM world record in the post-tech suit era. Only one other WR has fallen since--the Chinese guy who beat Hackett's 1500 m record.
In the course of writing up an article on Lochte for Men's Health, I asked him and some of his coach's about the Lochte-Phelps rivalry, and I didn't get terribly far.
What I need is a knowledgable source (or sources) who can discuss their respective odds objectively and be willing to be quoted. Perhaps a world class coach who has no ties to either one? Any suggestions?
In the meantime, what do you guys think?
Who has the edge in terms of each stroke?
Phelps better in fly?
Lochte better in back?
It seemed in their race at World's, Lochte gained some in ***? But was this just a fluke?
Equal in free?
What about speed vs. endurance? Phelps isn't swimming the 400 IM, right? But he was always noted more for 200-400 greatness, a bit less for all out sprinting (with the exception, maybe, of the 100 fly)? Isn't Lochte the same way?
Which of the two has more sprinting speed?
What about endurance?
At this level, what is the 200 IM considered--a long sprint or a short mid-D race?
What about mental attitude? Now that Lochte has emerged from Phelps' shadow in a top level competition, do you think he's ever going back? Was last year's Worlds a fluke for Phelps or a genuine changing of the guard?
Any insights would be tremendously appreciated!
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I am not a knowledgeable source nor am I world-class coach, but I am offering my two cents anyway!
What I've always heard and read is that Phelps and Lochte have been friends for quite a while and this rivalry talk always bewilders them. In Shanghai, Phelps wasn't in his tip-top shape so he could always say, "Eh, I wasn't bringing my A game... I'm saving that for London." However, now, London is imminent and Phelps will want to cap off his career with a great finish, but meanwhile Lochte wants to definitively step out from behind Phelps' shadow in the eyes of not just the swimming world, but the whole world as well. Both swimmers are going to be in the very best shape of their lives, so there's no excuses left. One of them will be judged as being definitively better than the other, if only for one Olympics. Hence, I think as the Olympics grow closer and closer, these two friends are going to grow less and less bewildered about the rivalry talk. A rivalry there will be.
IMO, Phelps has more to lose than Lochte. If Phelps leaves London butt-whipped by Lochte in the 200 free, 200 IM, maybe even the 400 IM (should Phelps swim it after all), his legacy will be forever diminished from what it could have been. Whereas, Lochte has a lot more to gain if he bests Phelps than to lose if he does not. If Lochte wins the 200 free, 200 IM, 400 IM, maybe even 100 fly (he raised some eyebrows at a meet in this event recently), he'll only add to the pretty impressive feats he pulled off at Shanghai last summer. He'll be able to say that when he was absolutely 100% without any injuries (like the groin injury he had in 2008) or afflictions (the runs during Beijing), he beat Phelps again and again, and hence, he is the better swimmer than Phelps. He'll even be able to make the case that he's a better swimmer for all-time than Phelps.
As for strokes, Phelps is better at the fly. He's also more consistent in freestyle, but Lochte does have the Shanghai win in the 200 free to point at. Lochte is better in the breaststroke, and both are even in the backstroke.
Both swimmers are mental giants, true monoliths compared to all the other swimmers in the water. Lochte will be able to look back at how hard he's worked in the past four years and he's got the momentum from Shanghai, but Phelps has the confidence that when he trains consistently, he truly believes no one, not even Lochte, can beat him.
This is a great analysis.
I am not a knowledgeable source nor am I world-class coach, but I am offering my two cents anyway!
What I've always heard and read is that Phelps and Lochte have been friends for quite a while and this rivalry talk always bewilders them. In Shanghai, Phelps wasn't in his tip-top shape so he could always say, "Eh, I wasn't bringing my A game... I'm saving that for London." However, now, London is imminent and Phelps will want to cap off his career with a great finish, but meanwhile Lochte wants to definitively step out from behind Phelps' shadow in the eyes of not just the swimming world, but the whole world as well. Both swimmers are going to be in the very best shape of their lives, so there's no excuses left. One of them will be judged as being definitively better than the other, if only for one Olympics. Hence, I think as the Olympics grow closer and closer, these two friends are going to grow less and less bewildered about the rivalry talk. A rivalry there will be.
IMO, Phelps has more to lose than Lochte. If Phelps leaves London butt-whipped by Lochte in the 200 free, 200 IM, maybe even the 400 IM (should Phelps swim it after all), his legacy will be forever diminished from what it could have been. Whereas, Lochte has a lot more to gain if he bests Phelps than to lose if he does not. If Lochte wins the 200 free, 200 IM, 400 IM, maybe even 100 fly (he raised some eyebrows at a meet in this event recently), he'll only add to the pretty impressive feats he pulled off at Shanghai last summer. He'll be able to say that when he was absolutely 100% without any injuries (like the groin injury he had in 2008) or afflictions (the runs during Beijing), he beat Phelps again and again, and hence, he is the better swimmer than Phelps. He'll even be able to make the case that he's a better swimmer for all-time than Phelps.
As for strokes, Phelps is better at the fly. He's also more consistent in freestyle, but Lochte does have the Shanghai win in the 200 free to point at. Lochte is better in the breaststroke, and both are even in the backstroke.
Both swimmers are mental giants, true monoliths compared to all the other swimmers in the water. Lochte will be able to look back at how hard he's worked in the past four years and he's got the momentum from Shanghai, but Phelps has the confidence that when he trains consistently, he truly believes no one, not even Lochte, can beat him.
This is a great analysis.
