Produced by Coleman Hodges.
Reported by Mitch Bowmile.
Michael Phelps was a man on a mission Sunday night at the 2015 US National Championships, claiming yet another national title in the 200m IM and putting a scare on the world record.
With the fastest time recorded by any swimmer since he won the 200m IM at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Phelps went straight to the top of the 2015 world rankings bumping Ryan Lochte‘s winning 1:55.81 from the world championships to second.
At the touch he was a 1:54.75, 1.06 seconds faster than anyone in the world this year. The time ranks as the eighth fastest 200m IM ever recorded, knocking his 1:54.80 from the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha to ninth. Phelps currently owns five of the top 10 fastest times ever in the race.
Phelps was under Lochte’s world record pace for the first 150-meters, however fell short on the freestyle leg. Taking out the fly hard, Phelps was well ahead of everybody after the first 50 turning in 24.65.
With a swift backstroke leg Phelps kept pushing forward, turning in 53.14 as he continued to stay under world record pace. After his breaststroke leg Phelps was a lock for gold, turning for home and touching for gold.
When comparing Phelps’ splits to Lochte’s from worlds, the real advantage for Phelps came in the fly and backstroke. Lochte usually has the edge on the breaststroke, however this year both Lochte and Phelps were identical on the breaststroke legs.
The area where Phelps race lacked the most from recent years is the freestyle leg. Phelps slowed down a lot on the way home, splitting a 28.27.
| SWIMMER | FLY | BACK | BREAST | FREE |
| Phelps 2015 | 24.65 | 28.49 | 33.34 | 28.27 |
| Lochte 2015 | 25.1 | 29.29 | 33.34 | 28.08 |
| Lochte WR | 24.89 | 28.59 | 33.03 | 27.49 |
When asked about a potential 2016 200m IM rematch with Lochte, Phelps said, “I’m looking forward to getting back in and competing with him.” Citing the breaststroke as his weakness, Phelps said he’ll be looking to improve that as the Rio Olympics approach.
Phelps is currently the only male swimmer ranked first globally in three separate events in the 2014-2015 season.
Your wondering if a woman cracks the whip and takes charge? Ah, I remember what it was like to be young once and wonder that.
I wonder sometimes how much Phelps getting engaged has focused him. It seems like after the DUI he went to re-hab shortly after that he got engaged. It seems since then he has been very focused on training and not extra-curricular activities. I wonder if after she got the ring of power she cracked the whip some on what type of behavior out of the pool was ok and not ok.
Adults don’t expect their partners to also be their parents. Isn’t it more likely that his DUI caused him to evaluate his own life and in the process of figuring out what he wanted he decided to propose? (Doesn’t hurt from a public relations standpoint either).
I hope his continued sobriety doesn’t depend on someone else; it wouldn’t bode well.
Let me rephrase: I certainly wouldn’t want to spend my life keeping my husband in line. Sounds like a thankless task, and I have my own problems to solve.
Given the intense flack he took last year and this from all quarters, I don’t know if he is the best coach for a Dwyer or a agnel, but can he get some love for being the exact right coach for Phelps?
I really think anyone who thinks Phelps would have done the same thing under someone else undervalues the psychological and strategic decisons it took to keep Phelps in the game after every mistake or period of demotivation.
Yup. He’s also been pretty good for Schmitty.
Normally, i would say it would be tough for him to win gold in rio in the 100 and 200 fly. just cause of what i saw in london. but from what i saw this week. and knowing how he rises to the challenge. we could see a 50.1 or .2 in the 100 from him in rio. you could tell he is still chasing crockers textile best, he said in the interview it was 50.40. but i think with the pressure of rio and the competition he will break that and possibly go a low 50. 49 would be mind blowing.
I think Michael could win all 3 in rio next summer based off his current form. My rio predictions for Michael Phelps:
4×100 free relay: bronze to Russians and French
200 fly: gold and possible world record
4×200 free relay: gold (duh)
200 IM: gold and WR 1:53.8
Lochte silver
100 fly: gold 50 low
4×100 medley relay: gold
I agree with most of your predictions except for the 100 fly and im. It’s very possible phelps could win but dipping under the 1:54 mark is very unlikely. Phelps would have to drop almost a full second from what he did at nationals which has been his best meet since London. And to mix in with le clos and a few others like shields will be no easy task either in the 100 fly. Also for phelps to get a world record in his own 200 fly would be astronomical just because he set that during the super suit era. His record is just as untouchable as peirsols 1:51 2 back.
Phelps went 1:52.03 with his goggles full of water in Beijing, when his WR at the time was 1:52.09. Based on the shape he was in during that meet, without the goggles filling I think it’s actually possible he might have gone 1:50.high, or certainly 1:51.low. He then took 6 months off, trained for 6 months, and went 1:51.5 in a super suit (with his last 50 slower than the last 50 of his previous 1:52.03 WR, demonstrating the lack of fitness even with the suit advantage).
I don’t know if we’ll ever see the fastest time Phelps has been capable of in the 2 fly (the goggle seal in Beijing ruined that for us) but I do think… Read more »
I agree with most of what you say. I think he’ll get gold in the 100 and 200 fly as well as the 200 IM. I agree with you on the medley and 4×200 free relay. I disagree with you on the 4×100 free relay, however. I think there is a possibility of gold, especially with Phelps, Lochte (maybe Jones), Dressel, and Adrian. I also think that he might add the 200 free to his list of events. Not sure about the last one but I am pretty confident that the 4×100 free relay could get gold.
I think you may be forgetting Australia in your 4×100 free relay predictions. Australia’s depth is unmatched and with its hiccup at world’s I do not think it will happen again. Also remembering that Magnussun is due to be back into the thick of things and Kyle Charmers will have another year of growth under his belt, you may see 3 sub 48 swimmers in the team if all healthy.
Good! Just so long as Bowman doesn’t push him to do 4-5 individual events again.