Exceptional Lochte eyes Phelps-style Olympics

US star Ryan Lochte yesterday eyed an expanded programme at next year’s Olympics, setting up a potential bid to match Michael Phelps’ record eight titles at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Lochte said he could add “a couple” of 100m races in London after swimming six events at the Shanghai world championships for a return of five titles – including one world record – and a bronze.

The haul matched Phelps’ five wins at the 2009 championships and was partly at the expense of his illustrious team-mate, who came off second-best in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

And Lochte said he felt capable of swimming more events at the Olympics, which could set up a bid to match Phelps’ historic tally of eight pool golds at Beijing’s Water Cube.

“By all means I think I can,” said Lochte, when asked about swimming more races in London.

“The 400 IM (individual medley) I think in every Olympics is the first event, so that will be the hardest event and I think that will be good because I will get that out of the way.

“Instead of it being on the last day, it’s the first day so I’ll be able to get my mind set and get focused for all the 200s and maybe a couple of 100s.

“I still don’t know what I’m swimming yet for next year. I’m going to go home, talk to my coach and we’re going to sit down and see what kind of events that I’m going to swim.”

Lochte said that he didn’t feel he had supplanted Phelps as the world’s top swimmer, and would start again from zero as he begins his preparations for London.

“Honestly, I don’t really think I’m the top dog,” he said.

“I think that’s just something that I kind of triggered my brain no matter what the outcome of the end of the year championship meet, right afterwards I knock myself down to the bottom of the totem pole.

“So I have a whole year to work hard, train hard to get back up to the top.”