Lochte ends world record drought in 'spectacular' fashion By Ryan Hurley, Special to Universal Sports
Lochte ends world record drought in 'spectacular' fashion By Ryan Hurley, Special to Universal Sports Ryan Lochte edges Michael Phelps for gold while setting a new world record in a thrilling men's 200m IM final. Lochte defeated Michael Phelps today in the 200m IM at the World Championships in Shanghai, China, setting a world record in the process. While every world record is impressive, this swim can only be classified as spectacular for the fashion in which it was set and the implications that come along with it. Not only was this the first world record set in a 50m pool in nearly two years, but it was also Lochte delivering another decisive blow to his close friend and intense rival. Here are some quick thoughts after the race: - Lochte's swim of 1:54:00 was the first world mark to fall in long-course pool since high-tech suits were banned on Jan. 1, 2010. Forty-three world records were broken at the 2009 World Championships, creating tremendous controversy over the suit technology and downgrading the significance of setting a world record. Swimmers shattered marks by large chunks and it was widely believed that they would hold up for a long time to come. - The swimming community as a whole took a fairly significant step back last year as swimmers adjusted to racing in more traditional, less buoyant suits. While no long-course world records were broken in 2010, it was reassuring to see that many swimmers, including Lochte and Rebecca Soni, were well within striking distance. Then almost exactly after two years after Ryan Lochte set the world record in the 200m IM, he proved today that it could be done without a high-tech suit as he lowered his own mark by a mere tenth of a second. This race is significant because it shows that it's time to start chipping away at the record books again. - The other element of this race that made it such a spectacular feat was that Lochte showed the poise of a true champion, as he once again was able to hold off Phelps. Just as he had done earlier in the week in the 200m freestyle, Phelps battled to overtake Lochte in the final 50 meters, but Lochte remained collected and stayed out in front. This proves that Lochte is not intimidated by Phelps and is willing to dig deeper into the red. You know a spectacular race when you see one, and watching the two greatest male swimmers in the world battle it out for a world record has spectacular written all over it. In the end, it's Ryan Lochte who is the world champion and world record holder in the 200m IM, but Michael Phelps is still right by his side. Source: Article
