Peirsol, Lochte, Phelps, Grevers, Clary: A Defining Decade of USA’s Backstroke

The United States has a tradition of Olympic dominance in both men’s and women’s backstroke. In years past, the 3rd and 4th-place finishers in either the 100 or 200 backstrokes at US Olympic Trials have now and then posted fast enough times to medal in the following Olympic Games–if only they had been faster than at least two other American swimmers.

While this article focuses exclusively on American men’s backstroke during a specific point in time (2000-2012), Team USA’s women have and continue to be equally-impressive in the backstroke.

For several years, roughly spanning 2006 to 2009, Ryan Lochte and Aaron Peirsol were the American men that shared the podium in both the 100 and 200 backstrokes.

At age 17, Peirsol won the Olympic silver medal behind American teammate Lenny Krayzelburg at the Sydney Games in 2000. Krayzelburg also won the 100 backstroke and was a member of the champion 400 medley relay in Sydney. The following year would see the torch passed on to Peirsol.

Peirsol was the king of backstroke from 2001 to 2009, though in 2007 and 2008 Lochte was better at the 200 backstroke, and even pushed Peirsol in the 100.

Though better known as a 200-meter specialist, Lochte was for a time Team USA’s second-fastest 100 backstroker. Though Michael Phelps never seriously swam the 100 backstroke, there’s an argument to be made that if he had he could have perhaps added a 9th gold medal to his tally in Beijing after posting a 53.01 to win the National Title in 2007 within an hour of winning the 200 freestyle. Phelps admittedly glanced at the scoreboard to see his split during the race, which could have made for the 0.03 difference between his time and the then-World Record of 52.98 set by Peirsol in March at the 2007 World Championships. In any case, Phelps did not pursue the backstroke as an event at the World Championships or the Olympics whereas Lochte did.

At the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Lochte swam a 53.50 to take silver in the 100 backstroke behind Peirsol who posted a 52.98, the first-ever sub-53 performance in history. Lochte pursued the 100 backstroke into 2008, though Northwestern’s Matt Grevers edged him out for 2nd place at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha, touching 53.19 to Lochte’s 53.37. Peirsol, meanwhile, won the race at Trials in 52.89, a new World Record.

Lochte won the 200 backstroke at the 2007 World Championships, beating Peirsol in the pool and lowering his two-year-old World Record to a 1:54.32.

Peirsol one-upped Lochte at the 2008 US Olympic Trials in Omaha and tied his World Record, besting Lochte by a mere 0.02.

Peirsol and Grevers won gold and silver, respectively, in the 100 backstroke at the Beijing Olympics, Peirsol doing so in World Record fashion. Grevers would go on to swim the prelims of the 400 medley relay which Peirsol would lead off in the finals, securing another gold medal for Team USA and the 8th medal overall for Phelps at those Beijing Olympics, setting World and Olympic Records in the process.

Lochte, however, bested Peirsol in the finals of the 200 backstroke to win his first individual Olympic gold medal, taking the World Record into previously-uncharted territory with a 1:53.94. Peirsol took silver in 1:54.33, nearly tying he and Lochte’s co-record but falling short of defending his 2004 crown.

Peirsol would go on to win the 2009 US National Championships in both the 100 and 200 backstrokes, setting World Records in both. In the 100, Peirsol swam a 51.94 which was finally downed by Ryan Murphy at the 2016 Olympics. In the 200, Peirsol posted a 1:53.08 to demolish Lochte’s record from Beijing.

At the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Peirsol dominated the 200 backstroke, winning gold in 1:51.92. Lochte would take bronze with a 1:53.82, falling also to Ryosuke Irie (1:52.51) of Japan, who up until that race was the World Record holder, having taken it from Peirsol in the time between US World Trials and the big show in Rome. Peirsol did not advance to the ‘A’ final of the 100 backstroke in Rome and conceded his crown to Japan’s Junya Koga (52.26).

The 2010 Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California, was Peirsol’s final international meet. Peirsol ended his career with gold medals in the 100 backstroke and finally the 400 medley relay, helping the United States to gold.

Though Peirsol remained dominant in the 100 backstroke at the 2010 Pan Pacs, Lochte was again the star of the 200, winning gold in 1:54.12. Peirsol, however, did not advance to the ‘A’ final, and the silver went to fellow American and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Tyler Clary in 1:54.90. Furthermore, Peirsol was very fortunate to have the opportunity to swim in the ‘A’ final of the 100 back; of the four American men that swam the race in Irvine, Peirsol was only the third-fastest among them after the prelims, being out-done by Lochte and David Plummer. Lochte scratched from the finals of the 100 back to focus on the 200 freestyle, which he won by nearly a second.

Clary won individual gold in the 200 back at the London 2012 Olympics, leaving silver to Japan’s Irie and bronze to Lochte. American duo Grevers and Nick Thoman won gold and silver, respectively, in the 100 backstroke, and each earned gold medals for the 400 medley relay, which Grevers led off in the finals.

Lochte was absolutely dominant at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, where he won individual gold in the 200 backstroke (1:52.96), 200 freestyle (1:44.44), 200 IM (1:54.00 WR), and 400 IM (4:07.13). Though he settled for bronze in the 200 backstroke at the 2012 Olympic Games, falling behind Clary and Japan’s Ryosuke Irie down the final 50 meters, he reprised his gold medal at the 2013 FINA World Championships, pushing Clary to bronze and Irie off the podium.

Lochte’s victory in the 200 backstroke at the 2008 Beijing Olympics cemented his place in history and proved that 2007 wasn’t a fluke.

Peirsol made his big debut on the international stage when he won the silver medal in the 200 backstroke at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 behind then-backstroke king Lenny Krayzelburg. Peirsol became World Champion in the 200 back in 2001, won both the 100 and 200 backstrokes at the 2002 Pan Pacific Championships, won both backstrokes again at the 2003 World Championships, 2004 Olympic Games, the 2005 World Championships, and the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships, in which Lochte took silver behind Peirsol in the 100 while Phelps took silver in the 200. Peirsol’s gold at the 2004 Olympic Games came a mere 0.32 ahead of fellow American Krayzelburg who touched 4th in 54.38. Krayzelburg still took home a gold medal for his prelims swim on the 400 medley relay.

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6-Beat Kick
4 years ago

No Krayzelburg or Murphy in the title? Both achieved arguably more dominance in backstroke than Clary or Phelps.

Skoorbnagol
4 years ago

Lochte and clary really suffered moving to Dave Marsh when it came to backstroke. Could be a conditioning factor or just different focuses but by the end they never held as much water, Lochte just bashed and clary was spinning at 2016 trials.
Performance wise maybe not but backstroke is lochtes worse stroke now with regards to improvements made. He use to be smooth, now it’s very much power, smash and ‘go big’ just hammer it. Lochtes pb for 200 Bk was 2.18 in 2004 then at worlds 05 he went 1.57.0, must of been a huge change in focus from his sophomore year focus of IM and distance free.

Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

Perisol should be in the movies – The cool of James Bond personality, the look of Tom Cruise and the mojo of Austin Powers!

first to the 25
Reply to  Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

Tom Cruise is a nutter… Piersol is more Matthew McConaughey than Tom Cruise.

Dcswim
Reply to  first to the 25
4 years ago

Peirsol is such a Matthew McConaughey kinda guy (source: met him at a clinic once and those “alright, alright, alright,” vibes).

Ladyvoldisser
Reply to  first to the 25
4 years ago

I stand corrected and agree he is the James Bond-Mathew McConaughey-Austin Powers persona. SERIOUSLY this Dude should be in the movies, soap operas and have his own late night show! Hopefully replace Colbert

cynthia curran
Reply to  Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

Well, Perisol is living only 45 miles from La last I heard, but he seems not interested in acting. Acting is a weird profession those that don’t make it that do local theater a lot tend to worked 2nd jobs as waiter or waitress.

Ladyvoldisser
Reply to  cynthia curran
4 years ago

Seriously? JamesBond, Mathew McConaughey and Austin Powers do not work as waiters. They are celebrity, royalty status. Aaron could be better than any one of them. Perhaps all he needs is some encouragement and not discouraging bashing!!!! This guy could go into acting, then politics and eventually take over Amazon if he wanted to!!! Get real.

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
4 years ago

great article.
wow, Lochte was so impressive at 2011 Worlds: 1:54.0 IM, 1:44.4 free, and 1:52.9 back is incredible.
200 back WR starting to look like an untouchable WR.
Irie has been around forever.

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
4 years ago

I think the coaching staff screwed up Lochte in 2012 by somehow brainstorming to have him anchor the 4 x 100 freestyle. He won the 400 im the first night and was feeling great, like it would be a rerun of 2011 Worlds. Then the next night the French are celebrating and Lochte is taking the brunt of it. He correctly pointed out it’s not exactly his specialty but the every-4 years crowd didn’t want to hear it. The theme was Lochte choked. I thought he lost his edge and it was most apparent in the 200 backstroke.

Anonymoose
Reply to  Awsi Dooger
4 years ago

and he split like 47.8 or something i think. thats hella good for a 200/400 specialist

Joe
Reply to  Anonymoose
4 years ago

47.74

Not bad by any means, but among the medallists, only Vlad Morozov’s 47.85 was slower. Worth noting though that Grevers went 47.54 in prelims.

Interestingly, I didn’t know until now that MP’s 47.15 was the fastest non-Agnel split in the field. GOAT.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

Phelps was 47.2 in 2016 as well on the second leg of that relay ……

Mr Piano
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

47.12

Nswim
4 years ago

The fact that nobody had been under 53 prior to the super suit era is crazy, backstrokes come so far in the past decade!

Joe
Reply to  Nswim
4 years ago

Breaststroke too, Kitajima’s times today look pedestrian compared to what even not-Peatys are throwing down.

Khachaturian
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

Hey don’t call them pedestrian you are gonna anger all the american breastrokers

hzmusicstand
4 years ago

Fun article to read ! Thanks 🙂

Horninco
4 years ago

The only events that MP did not break or seriously threatened the WR in between 2006-2008
50 Free
400 Free
800 Free
1500 Free
100 Breast
200 Breast

Unreal

JCO
Reply to  Horninco
4 years ago

Didn’t he go 2:11 or 2:12 at the Mesa Grand Prix in his first meet back from “retirement” in April of that year? While he never threatened the WR, I have to imagine peak Phelps in 2008/2009 could have been around 2:07/2:08

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
Reply to  JCO
4 years ago

at 2015 Nationals, a meet where Phelps was in top shape, he went 2:11.30 200 breast. He was also 1:54 IM at this meet. I do not think Phelps would have been 2:08 even in 2008. At best 2:10.

Anonymoose
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
4 years ago

maybe 2.09 or 2.08,9 if he would have trained a lot for it for lets say 2 years or so (but why would he)

thezwimmer
Reply to  JCO
4 years ago

Phelps’ 2:11 in the 2 breast was at 2015 summer nationals

Hol Up
Reply to  Horninco
4 years ago

He could have done the 400 tho. He never really focused on it, but if he did, he could have threatened the WR

Joe
Reply to  Hol Up
4 years ago

Ian Thorpe 3:40.08 says hello.

swimfast
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

phelps held both the 400 IM and 200 free world records, and the 100 free american record all simultaneously…i really think he could’ve broken the 400 free world record had he learned pacing

iLikePsych
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

Honestly…Thorpe’s 3:40 might be Mount Everest…but honestly who knows what Phelps could have gone. If Phelps hadn’t chosen to swim the 200 free, we all might think the same thing that there’s no way Phelps could break 1:44

iLikePsych
Reply to  iLikePsych
4 years ago

(Biedermann’s WR is Mauna Kea in that example. Sure, it’s technically taller from its base, but no one actually cares)

Michael Schwartz
Reply to  Hol Up
4 years ago

Fun fact about Phelps and this distance, at least the yards version (500 free) is that the last time I checked, he still holds the 17-18 boys record for this distance, and it’s the only record he still has for 17-18 boys.

Joe
Reply to  Michael Schwartz
4 years ago

Surely MP’s 1:55.9 200 IM from 2003 must still be an age group record? That time would have won Worlds this year!

Onehandtoucher
Reply to  Hol Up
4 years ago

He had the American Record in the 400LCM for a hot second.

Teamwiess
Reply to  Onehandtoucher
4 years ago

I was going to say that. He set it at summer nationals in Maryland in the early 2000s. I was in the stands.

Wade
Reply to  Teamwiess
4 years ago

Maryland 2002 I think. Swam against him in the 200fly that meet. I’m pretty sure he won.
edit: I think it was 2003. Actually, I’m trying to find the results for that meet. I don’t think Phelps swam the 200 fly. I think he was just doing off events. I think I swam against him in either the 200IM or 400IM.

Christine Jacobsen
Reply to  Teamwiess
4 years ago

I was in the stands too! Su ch a great experience for me as a young swimmer, and instrumental in me choosing to go to UMD later.

96Swim
Reply to  Horninco
4 years ago

I always thought we missed out on Phelps and the 400 free. If only it wasn’t the same day as the 400 IM. Given his 200 free and 400 IM times in his prime and how fast his 500 free was as an 18 year old, you have to think he could have rattled that record. Especially knowing it was Thorpe’s record. I’m mildly surprised he never gave it a shot.

Dcswim
Reply to  96Swim
4 years ago

He could’ve had a strong 400 free in his prime but at the cost of his 100 fly and 100 free

Joe
4 years ago

Some miscellaneous thoughts:

Rude to leave Krayzelburg off a list of American backstrokers 2000 – 2012.

Worth noting that Ryosuke Irie never officially held the 200 back WR, as he swam his time in a non-FINA approved suit (even though it was a legskin). Kinda BS that they approved some polyurethane suits that year, but not others, but hey that’s FINA for you.

MP never swimming backstroke at Worlds/Olympics, not even in that experimental 2005 Championships, makes me sad. Would have been great to see.

American backstroke dominance (at least on the men’s side) is only now starting to falter, after over 20 years of absolutely owning it. Makes me wonder what has made the USA so… Read more »

Joel
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

Didn’t Larkin win both Backstrokes in 2015 ? But I see what you’re saying kind of

Togger
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

Backstroke benefits from great turns more than any other stroke. The Americans have awesome turns, probably due to short course focus for half the year right up until they’re 22.

PsychoDad
Reply to  Joe
4 years ago

Reasons for USA backstroke domination:
1. While Irie and others swim a “pretty” backstroke, for USA swimmer, backstroke is a kung fu fight. Violent strokes and pull.
2. Backstroke is all about stroke and stroke rate, except when it isn’t. USA swimmers dominate underwaters, which are very very important, even in long course.
3. Technique: Very little hip rotation, no shoulder over-rotation, shallow and straight pull.

About Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson originally hails from Clay Center, Kansas, where he began swimming at age six with the Clay Center Tiger Sharks, a summer league team. At age 14 he began swimming club year-round with the Manhattan Marlins (Manhattan, KS), which took some convincing from his mother as he was very …

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