Swimming: Phelps to renew Lochte rivalry

OMAHA: Michael Phelps’s bid to maintain Olympic swimming supremacy begins next week, when he renews his rivalry with Ryan Lochte at the US Olympic swimming trials. Both Phelps and Lochte, who have had a healthy rivalry during the past decade, are entered in the 400m individual medley on the opening day of the trials. The demanding event was among Phelps’s unprecedented eight victories at the Beijing Games four years ago. Phelps and Lochte are also both entered in the 100m and 200m freestyle, the 100m and 200m butterfly, the 200m backstroke and the 200m medley. In a fiercely-fought rivalry, Lochte set the 200m medley world record at the world championships in Shanghai last year while Phelps is still the world record holder for his heroics at the Beijing Olympics.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2012.