Ryan Lochte Leaves Out 100 Free, Backstrokes At US Nationals

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
• Meet website
• Meet information
• Event Order
• Full selection procedures
• Psych Sheet

The psych sheets for the 2018 U.S. National Championships have now been released, giving us some clarity on what some of the top swimmers will be competing in next week in Irvine.

Multi-event talent Ryan Lochte was expected to race his best event, the 200 IM, and the 200 freestyle here for sure. The 400 IM, after what he did in June at the Mel Zajac meet, was likely. Everything else was up in the air.

The 100 free seemed like a likely choice, given it would be his only event on day 1 and he could just ease his way into the meet. However, he won’t swim that, nor will he swim either the 100 or 200 back, with the 100 being a potential option with nothing else on his schedule for day 4.

His fourth event will instead be the 100 fly, which falls on the same day as the 400 IM. He has been competitive in that race in the past, including a 6th place finish at the 2013 World Championships and a runner-up placing at the 2014 Pan Pacs.

We’ll see if he actually swims both of those day 3, as the 100 fly could be a fallback plan if he qualifies earlier in the meet in the 200 free and decides to wait until Pan Pacs to swim the 400 IM, or something along those lines.

Barring scratches, his schedule will be as follows:

Day 1

• Nothing

Day 2

• 200 freestyle

Day 3

• 400 IM
• 100 butterfly

Day 4

• Nothing

Day 5

• 200 IM