The HardCore Swim of the week this week goes to Ryan Lochte and his 200 IM on the final day of the 2013 World Championship Trials.
Lochte has been talking all season about his lack of training. Even after what most of us considered to be a pretty good meet, he was disappointed in his performance and made a commitment to return to full training.
Much like we saw from Phelps in his pseudo-focused season in 2011, though, “out-of-shape” Lochte still looked a lot like the best swimmer in the world. He won the men’s 200 IM in a world-leading 1:55.44, which was just half-a-second off of where he was at the Olympic Trials last year, and that with no Phelps to push him.
Lochte, as he noted, probably has some work to do in a quick three weeks if he wants to ensure himself gold in this race, and hold of Japan’s suddenly-explosive Kosuke Hagino, but Lochte still enters the meet as the favorite.
With the U.S. World Championship Trials being the biggest meet in the world shy of the World Championships in 2013, we couldn’t pass up the award going there, but two worthy honorable mentions internationally, who probably could have won in any other week, go to: 14-year old Darren Lim from Singapore and his 22.73 in the 50 free; and Britain’s Michael Jamieson with a strong reminder of 2:07.78 in the men’s 200 breaststroke.
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A very good swim by Ryan Lochte considering how he’s been prepared. Other olympic-level swimmers have struggled more after easing their training. This difference makes Ryan quite hardcore literally. His core (base) keeps shoring him up while others start to fall. So just as it’s emphasised on the article, this is a fine argument behind the decision to declare Lochte as a winner.
I think this swim…and hopefully a good show at worlds…are critical for Lochtes image. I think the reality show tarnished his image as a person. He seems more intelligent and focused in race interviews then a let’s on. Granted, he is no elder statesman of swimming…but he isn’t quite the “bro” that he let’s himself be on the show. Glad to be reminded why this guy was probably The #2 swimmer in the world for almost a decade.
The 1:55 was pretty hardcore but as the comments above state, it should have gone to Darren Kim. 22.7 is ridiculous for a 13-14
*Lim
For me, its Darren Lin 50 free.
A sub23 is fantastic for a 16year-old… Doing that at fourteen…ABSURD!
I agree. Darren Lim should’ve got it
I totally forgot about Darren Lim.
Yes, that is an absurd swim.
It was a brilliant swim by Lochte, but I wished the hardcore swim of the week had gone to Ledecky’s 15:47 at the end of her thousands meters session