Men’s 200 Backstroke – 2013 World Championship Trials – as reported by swimswam editor-in-chief Braden Keith:
Ryan Lochte again bided his time and effort, and though he was hurting badly the last 15 meters of this race, he held off a late charge by Tyler Clary for the win by margin of 1:55.16-1:55.58.
It was almost a flashback to the Olympic final, where Lochte went out hard, but coming off of the last wall Clary made a big move. This time, though, Lochte’s lead was big enough, and he held on for victory.
With so much focus in this race on youth and the 6 teenagers in the field, it was still the veterans that were served, not the youth, with those top two spots.
As good as Clary’s closing 50 was (29.6), Bolles’ Ryan Murphy had the best closing split in the final with a 29.47. That finished pulled him past his future Cal teammate Jacob Pebley for 3rd place in 1:56.37; Pebley was 4th in 1:56.73. Those are huge personal bests for both swimmers, and Murphy jumps to 3rd on the all-time 17-18 all-time American Rankings in the event (behind just two of the greats, Michael Phelps and Aaron Peirsol).
Jack Conger is now 4th on that same list after a personal best of his own in 1:56.82, and NCAA Champion Drew teDuits took 6th in 1:56.83. Though none of the teenagers in this amazing final were able to make the Worlds team, even in a post-Olympic year, that top-6 line was over two seconds faster than the top-6 line at last year’s Olympic Trials.
Video edited by Coleman Hodges.
Two years after he retires Clary will be a stout 260lbs:) Not to be rude but Clary is very husky built for a backstroker, not certain how he does it.
But, all in all, it was an excellent interview. I enjoyed his honesty and positiveness.
Two years after he retires Clary will be a stout 260lbs:)
I had the same thought earlier this evening while watching the men’s 200 backstroke victory ceremony.
most of us get/got fat because we ate like we still workedout 5 hours a day. Luckily that athlete kicks in and we can find a sport we like, or swim again. All my ex swimmer freinds are mostly overweight now, except for the ones who had that natural lean body, they just have guts.
Gaining 20-30 pounds is almost typical.