Video Interview: Ryan Lochte Is Back In The Water At The Bulldog Grand Slam

Ryan Lochte discusses how this season has been the biggest roller coaster of his life. He talked about how he is trying to be careful with his recovery, taking it day by day and race by race. He is not measuring his performance against the rest of the guys in the pool, he is focusing on what he needs to do during his swims.

As reported by SwimSwam contributor Anne Lepesant from the 2014 Bulldog Grand Slam:

MENS 200 FREE – FINALS

NBAC-based frenchman Yannick Agnel is the defending Olympic and World Champion in the men’s 200 free, and as of today, he’s the defending Bulldog Grand Slam champion as well. He was a 1:47.27 to win the men’s 200 free, beating out teammate Conor Dwyer (1:47.44) and Club Wolverine’s Connor Jaeger (1:47.94).

None of the three pushed the pace early, with Agnel turning halfway in 52.1, Dwyer in 52.4, and Jaeger in 53.0. Jaeger closed strong as one might expect from one of the top milers in the United States, but Agnel showed a little different strategy than we usually get from him by easing off of the front-half of this race.

Ryan Lochte looked a little rusty in prelims after once again battling knee problems that cost him a couple of meets, but in finals things started to come together for him again. Swimming in the B Final, he was a 1:48.69, which was the 4th-best time overall. He really didn’t need to push it this morning. He knew he would get a night swim either way and he needed to be cautious before his better event, the 100 butterfly.

MENS 100 FLY – FINALS

“Stagnant” doesn’t feel like the right word for Michael Phelps’ performances so far in the 100 fly since returning to competition in April at the Mesa Grand Prix. The connotation of the word doesn’t feel right for a swimmer ranked top 10 in the world this year.

 
But his times up until Friday had been flat. In his three Grand Prix meets, he’s been 52.13, 52.13, and 52.11. Today in Athens, he broke through with a 51.67: a statement swim by all accounts. That puts Phelps 2nd in the world so far this year, and makes him faster than any American swimmer he’s going to have to face at Nationals next month.
Ryan Lochte, who beat Phelps the last time they raced head-to-head in this event in Mesa, was 2nd in 53.08 – not looking nearly the same as he did in Mesa. As encouraging as Phelps’ performance is, Lochte’s is equally unnerving for American fans. With Nationals only three weeks away, a 53.0 is going to be a tough time to build on.
 
Queens University swimmer and NCAA Division II National Champion, Matthew Josa, fininshed 3rd in 53.64. Geoff Cheah, in one of his better swims since joining Club Wolverine a few months ago, was 4th in 53.67.
 
Cheah’s time was just off Tim Phillips B-final winning time of 53.64. Caeleb Dressel took 2nd in the “B” final in 54.41. That’s an in-season best for him.

In This Story

2
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

2 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
9 years ago

Nice to see Ryan back

ERVINFORTHEWIN
9 years ago

He is doing good , progressing with through his rollercoaster ! Happy to see u back Ryan .

About Tony Carroll

Tony Carroll

The writer formerly known as "Troy Gennaro", better known as Tony Carroll, has been working with SwimSwam since April of 2013. Tony grew up in northern Indiana and started swimming in 2003 when his dad forced him to join the local swim team. Reluctantly, he joined on the condition that …

Read More »