Men's 200 Meter Backstroke

Aaron Peirsol and Ryan Lochte will dominate the pool in Beijing. Until Lochte beat him at the 2007 World Champs in Melbourne, Peirsol hadn't lost this race in 7 years. Lochte broke the WR to win the gold in that race swimming a 1:54.32. Fast forward to 2008 trials and Peirsol wanted to take his record back, it's about making the team, sure, but he wanted that record back. Peirsol beat Lochte in the finals in Omaha, but he did so while tying the WR. Aaron & Ryan will share the WR as they enter the pool for prelims in the Olympics. Ryan's other individual events are the 200 & 400 IMs, competing against Phelps, since he was touched out by Grevers in the 100m Back. Had he made the team, he would have had an opportunity for 7 gold medals like Phelps. Ryan will likely be viewing this race as his best opportunity for individual Olympic gold. It's a toss up between these two for gold.


Peirsol (silver), Lochte (gold) and Mark Rogan (bronze) at Worlds 2007

Austrian Markus Rogan took silver in both Back events in Athens, bronze at Worlds in 2007, gold at this year's Euros and has the 4th fastest time this year (a hundreth behind Phelps who won't be competing in this event in Beijing, and about a half second off the WR). The rest of the field is almost a second behind.

Medal Predictions:

Video:

Watch Aaron Peirsol tie Lochte's WR beating him by .02s

Lochte beats Peirsol at Worlds, snapping his 7 year winning streak

Ryan Lochte demos back technique. There's not enough underwater vid of back.

 

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