Swim star Lochte impresses in 200m medley win

Ryan Lochte seized the spotlight at the Charlotte Pro Swim with an impressive win in the 200m individual medley.

Lochte posted the third-fastest time in the world this year, clocking 1min 57.20sec for his first win of the meeting.

Only Japan's Kosuke Hagino (1:56.30) and Daiya Seto (1:56.82) have swum faster this year.

California's Josh Prenot finished second in 1:58.98 with Brazil's Thiago Pereira third in 1:59.51 on Sunday.

The only thing missing from Lochte's performance was the rival his fans love to see him race: 18-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps.

Phelps finished a surprising ninth in the heats, but cut three seconds from his preliminary time of 2:03.06 to win the consolation final easily in 2:00.25.

Phelps also found himself in the consolation final of the 100m free, clocking 49.96 for third place as he continues a comeback aimed at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Lochte was on the podium in his other race of the meet's closing night, finishing third in the 200m backstroke in 1:58.96, well behind the 1:56.31 of winner Arkady Vyatchanin, now swimming for Serbia.

American Tyler Clary was third in 1:58.43.

"It was a good double," Lochte said. "I'm pleased with both races. Both times were really good.

"Getting on those blocks and racing in that short amount of time was good."

Olympic gold medalists Nathan Adrian and Natalie Coughlin gained more gold for the United States with victories in the men's and women's 100m freestyle.

Adrian won the men's title in 48.85sec and Coughlin won the women's race in 54.24.

"That’s a good starting spot," Adrian said. "I came here trying to shake a little rust loose, and I think I did a solid job of it.

"Any time you dip under 49, you can’t be displeased with it."

Hungary's "Iron Lady" of swimming Katinka Hosszu won the women's 200m medley in a US Open record of 2:08.66 and the 200m backstroke in 2:07.79, to take her tally of titles for the meeting to six.
Source: AFP