Lochte caps championships with 200m backstroke win

Ryan Lochte held off Aaron Peirsol in a star-studded 200m backstroke at the US swimming championships on Saturday as Michael Phelps was relegated to fourth.

In a race that featured five of the six-fastest performers ever in the event, 2008 Olympic champion Lochte led from start to finish to win in 1:55.58.

Peirsol, who set the world record in winning the world title in Rome last year, was second in 1:56.28 and Tyler Clary was third in 1:56.36.

“I just went out as fast as I could and then held on for dear life,” Lochte said.

“I could see everyone just starting to catch me in the last 50, and I was like, ‘Great, this is going to be ugly’.”

Lochte claimed his third victory of the meet after winning the 400m individual medley and notching a 200m medley win that marked his first triumph over Phelps in the event at a major championship.

Phelps, owner of 14 Olympic gold medals, said he was just happy to have a chance to put his backstroke to the test against the likes of Lochte and Peirsol.

Although he came out of the pool saying ‘I don’t want to do that event ever again’ Phelps said he was, in fact, satisfied with his time of 1:56.98.

“I did what I wanted to do,” said Phelps, adding he had targeted a time “under 1:57”.

Phelps again noted that he was paying the price for time off training. Despite his disappointment with his times he won the 200m free and both the 100m and 200m butterfly in Irvine.

“I didn’t expect to leave happy,” Phelps said of his patchy preparation.

Lochte said he has encountered some hiccups in his training, but was happy with a meet in which he also finished runner-up in the 100m and 200m freestyle.

The meet determined the US team for the Pan Pacific Championships, which start in the same pool on August 18.

Times from the two meets will determine the US team for the 2011 World Championships.

Lochte said he expected to swim faster at the Pan Pacs, where the charter nations of the United States, Australia, Japan and Canada will battle, along with a scattering of swimmers from other nations.

“In two more weeks I’m going to be a lot faster,” Lochte said.