2012 London Olympics: Micheal Phelps Beats Ryan Lochte In The 200 IM Finals

Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte went head to head today in the men’s 200-meter individual medley and 19 time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps came out the victor.

Lochte who qualified the fastest in 1 minute, 56.13 seconds the opening night of the swimming competition bested Phelps by 98-hundredths of a second.

“We love racing against each other,” said Phelps, who plans to retire after the games. “Neither one of us likes to lose. I like to say we bring out the best in one another.”

It was Phelps final showdown with Lochte before his expected retirement after the London games, capping a years long rivalry between the two men.

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In a pre-taped interview broadcast on “Today” Thursday, Lochte envisioned breaking away from Phelps:

“In the middle lane it’s me and Michael. I look over at Phelps and we have a little stare-off, look who wants it more. We step on the blocks and take your marks, boom. I take off. I’m hitting the water like a rocket and I’m not looking back.”

Lochte, not one for modesty, said his imaginary clash ends with him dusting Phelps in the home stretch, breaking the world record in the process. “I get up on the lane lines and I unleash, my muscles are flexing and bulging, I’m like, yeah!”

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