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Lochte nabs sixth Pan Pacs gold
Ryan Lochte threatened his own world record as he won the 200m individual medley on Saturday at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
Lochte notched the third-fastest time in history as he won in 1min 54.43 sec, showing that he could challenge the world mark of 1:54.10 that he set last year before high-tech bodysuits were banned.
"I wasn't really focused on getting the world record, I was just focusing on swimming tough," said Lochte, who claimed his sixth gold in four days.
However, Lochte said he did want to show that not all of the world marks set last year - when the bodysuits contributed to a re-writing of the sport's record book - are as far out of reach as some have said.
"I just wanted to prove to everyone that it could happen," Lochte said. "... if I'd just taken one or two more dolphin kicks I would've had it."
Behind Lochte, teammate Tyler Clary won the battle for silver with a time of 1:57.61, edging Brazil's Thiago Pereira who took bronze in 1:57.83.
Former world record-holder Michael Phelps opted out of the event, choosing to focus on his butterfly leg in the 4x100m medley relay.
That paid off as Phelps overtook Masayuki Kishida after Junya Koga and Kosuke Kitajima had given Japan a slim lead going into the butterfly.
Swimming the freestyle anchor leg, American Nathan Adrian sealed the US victory in 3:32.48, with Japan second in 3:33.90 and Australia third in 3:35.55.
Kitajima, who earlier won the 200m breaststroke in the top time of the world this year of 2:08.36, said Japan want to reassert themselves in international relay competition.
"Obviously the United States is above and beyond, but we can put up a good fight," he said.
With the Asian Games looming later this year, Kitajima said he was happy with his week.
"Frankly, I was a little worried about the 200, but I made a very good time for this season so I'm very satisfied," he said.
The United States enjoyed another big night, winning six of 10 events.
Adrian also pipped world record-holder Cesar Cielo in the 50m freestyle.
Adrian ran down the Brazilian in the closing metres of the one-lap sprint to win in 21.55sec. Cielo, the Olympic and world champion, was second in 21.57 and Canada's Brent Hayden was third in 21.89.
Cielo, who won the 50m butterfly on Wednesday but was third in the 100m free, was disappointed.
"My freestyle is not going as well as I expected," he said. "I probably haven't done well in practice. I've probably missed something during the season. My 100 free wasn't good and today wasn't good. I'm not as fit as I wanted to be here."
Jessica Hardy, swimming her first major international championships since serving a two-year drugs ban, won the women's 50m free in 24.63sec, with fellow American Amanda Weir second in 24.70. Canada's Victoria Poon was third in 24.76.
Hardy came back to anchor the US women's 4x100m medley relay in a hard-fought victory over Australia.
Although they couldn't hold on for a medley relay win, Australia's women brought home two golds on the last day of action in the pool.
Emily Seebohm notched an impressive victory in the 200m individual medley and Melissa Gorman won the 1 500m free in 16:01.53.
"I came out tonight and I just wanted to bust the first hundred and hold on as well as I could," said the 18-year-old Seebohm, whose time of 2:09.93 made her the first woman this year to break 2:10.
World record-holder Ariana Kukors of the United States took silver in 2:10.25 and American Caitlin Leverenz was third in 2:11.21.
"It was pretty exciting," said Seebohm, who won the 100m backstroke and took silver in the 50m butterfly and 100m free.
Gorman won the 1 500m free in 16:01.53, beating world record-holder Kate Ziegler of the United States (16:03.26) and Chile's Kristel Kobrich (16:06.57).
Canada's Ryan Cochrane won the men's 800m freestyle, leading from start to finish as he added the gold to his victory in the 1 500m free in 7:48.71.
Japan's Takeshi Matsuda stayed right on Cochrane's shoulder for much of the race, but when the Canadian made a move with 200m remaining Matsuda couldn't answer.
American Chad La Tourette squeezed past Matsuda to take silver in 7:51.62 and the Japanese swimmer earned bronze in 7:51.87.
American Rebecca Soni won the women's 200m breaststroke in 2:20.69, with Australian Leisel Jones second in 2:23.23 and world record-holder Annamay Pierse of Canada third in 2:23.65.
RESULTS
Men
50 Freestyle
1, Nathan Adrian, United States, 21.55 seconds
2, Cesar Cielo, Brazil, 21.57.
3, Brent Hayden, Canada, 21.89.
5, Gideon Louw, South Africa, 22:08.
200 Breaststroke
1, Kosuke Kitajima, Japan, 2 minutes, 8.36
seconds.
2, Brenton Rickard, Australia, 2:09.97.
3, Eric Shanteau,
United States, 2:10.13.
200 Individual Medley
1, Ryan Lochte, United States, 1:54.43.
2, Tyler Clary, United States, 1:57.61.
3, Thiago Pereira, Brazil,
1:57.83.
800 Freestyle
1, Ryan Cochrane, Canada, 7:48.71.
2, Chad La
Tourette, United States, 7:51.62.
3, Takeshi Matsuda, Japan,
7:51.87.
4x100 Medley Relay
1, United States (Aaron Peirsol, Mark
Gangloff, Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian), 3:32.48.
2, Japan (Junya
Koga, Kosuke Kitajima, Masayuki Kishida, Takuro Fujii), 3:33.90.
3,
Australia (Ashley Delaney, Christian Sprenger, Geoff Huegill, Kyle
Richardson), 3:35.55.
Women
50 Freestyle
1, Jessica Hardy, United States, 24.63.
2, Amanda
Weir, United States, 24.70.
3, Victoria Poon, Canada, 24.76.
200 Breaststroke
1, Rebecca Soni, United States, 2:20.69.
2,
Leisel Jones, Australia, 2:23.23.
3, Annamay Pierse, Canada,
2:23.65.
200 Individual Medley
1, Emily Seebohm, Australia, 2:09.93.
2,
Ariana Kukors, United States, 2:10.25.
3, Caitlin Leverenz, United
States, 2:11.21.
1,500 Freestyle
1, Melissa Gorman, Australia, 16:01.53.
2,
Kate Ziegler, United States, 16:03.26.
3, Kristel Kobrich, Chile,
16:06.57.
4x100 Medley Relay
1, United States (Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca
Soni, Dana Vollmer, Jessica Hardy), 3:55.23.
2, Australia (Emily
Seebohm, Leisel Jones, Alicia Coutts, Yolane Kukla), 3:56.96.
3,
Japan (Aya Terekawa, Satomi Suzuki, Yuka Kato, Haruka Ueda),
3:57.75.
