Olympics: Lochte breaks men's 200m backstroke world record

Friday 15 August 2008

BEIJING - Ryan Lochte of the United States broke the men's 200m backstroke world record in winning Olympic gold in 1min 53.94sec Friday at the Beijing Games.

The previous record of 1:54.32 was set by Lochte in winning the world title in Melbourne on March 30 of last year, and equalled by teammate Aaron Peirsol at the US Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 4.

Peirsol finished second in 1:54.33, and Russian Arkady Vyatchanin, who set the pace through much of the race swimming out in lane eight, took bronze in 1:54.93.

Lochte claimed his first individual Olympic gold and denied Peirsol his second straight backstroke double.

Peirsol, who won both the 100m and 200m in Athens as well as medley relay gold, had already defended his title in the 100m back on Tuesday.

He and Peirsol were dead-even at the final turn, in second behind Vyatchanin, and Lochte finished strong to win the last-lap duel.

Half an hour after the start of the backstroke, Lochte was due to tackle superstar Michael Phelps in the final of the 200m individual medley.

Lochte pushed Phelps all the way at the US trials in July, and will by trying to derail his superstar teammate's bid for a record eight gold medals at one Games.

Phelps went into the 200m medley having won five gold medals in five world record times - in the 400m individual medley, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 4x100m free relay and 4x200m free relay.