Lochte dethrones Peirsol to win first individual Olympic gold in world record
15/8/2008 17:01
American Ryan Lochte made a strong final dash to defeat reigning Olympic
champion Aaron Peirsol, winning the men's 200-meter backstroke with a new world
record at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing today.
Lochte didn't push
himself forward until the last lap, touching the wall first in one minute and
53.94 seconds, 0.38 second ahead of his own previous world record.
"I can't
even put it into words. It's my first Olympic individual gold medal," said
Lochte who always plays the big challenger role in competitions with superfish
Michael Phelps and backstroke specialist Peirsol.
"I touched the wall and was
like 'thank you, finally.' It felt good the whole way," said Lochte.
Peirsol
who bagged home both the 100-meter and 200-meter gold medals in Athens four
years ago, had to settle for the second place with a time of 1:54.33, followed
by Russian Arkady Vyatchanin in a new European record of 1:54.93.
"You got to
break a world record to win, I gave my own," said the 24-year-old Peisol.
"Passing (the record) off to him, it seemed a lot of a race. By no means was I
disappointed. I'm very proud of what I've achieved so far. but he earned
it."
Vyatchanin, 24, stole the opening show by leading the first 150 meters
while world champion Lochte and teammate Peirsol both trailed him
tightly.
"I'm happy with my time today. I had a fever yesterday with a body
temperature of 38.8 degrees Celsius but I feel better today," said
Vyatchanin.
Vyatchanin also shared the bronze of the 100-meter backstroke
with Hayden Stoeckel from Australia as they completed the race on Tuesday both
in 53.18 seconds.
Peirsol dominated the men's backstroke since last Olympics
but rendered his title in the 200-meter event at last year's World Championships
when the 23-year-old Lochte edged him with world record breaking
performance.
Peirsol showed that he was in great form by equaling Lochte's
previous world record at the national Olympic trials this July and successfully
defended his Olympic title in the 100-meter race with a new world record on
Tuesday.
Lochte seemed disappointed after taking the bronze in the men's
400-meter individual medley on Sunday but was cheered up by being a member of
the fantastic American 4x200-meter freestyle relay team as they clinched the
title by shaving more than four seconds off the previous world record on
Wednesday.
The laidback talented young swimmer grabbed his first Olympic gold
with the relay team in Athens where he also took a silver after finishing second
behind unstoppable Phelps in the men's 200- meter individual medley
race.
Xinhua
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