Posted on 07/30/2012 6:43:26 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
LONDON – Ryan Lochte had exactly one day to enjoy being recognized by many as the “World’s Greatest Swimmer.”
Team USA’s newly crowned champion in the 400-meter individual medley relay on Saturday, Lochte quickly transformed from hero to goat Sunday when France’s Yannick Agnel jetted past him over the final 50 meters of the 4 X 100-meter freestyle relay at the Olympic Aquatic Centre.
A French Connection anchored by Agnel struck for gold with a time of 3:09.93 in the final, roughly a half-tick ahead of the American silver-medal crew (3:10.38), which was led-off by Nathan Adrian (47.89 for his 100-meter split) followed by Michael Phelps (47.15), Cullen Jones (47.60) and then Lochte (47.74). Russia won the bronze (3:11.41), while pre-race favorite Australia finished fourth.
“At least I’m in a medal today,’’ reasoned Phelps, who before finishing fourth in Saturday’s 400 IM had won medals in 16 consecutive Olympic events dating back to the 2000 Sydney Games.
Lochte, his seemingly ever-present swagger turned suddenly sullen in defeat, attributed his inability to hold the lead to poor strategy and inexperience.
“The 100 free, I don’t really swim it; I haven’t swam it in a long time,’’ he said. “So I think I was just really excited, and I over-swam the first 50, which kinda hurt me for the last 50.
(Excerpt) Read more at knoxnews.com ...
The radio report I heard said that the French anchor “beat the ‘Great Wet Hope’ by a full second.”
And he wasn’t even close to the fastest 100 Freer - never was. It was putting a round peg in square hole.
Arsenal have Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs as regular starters. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is a substitute who will have quite a great carreer ahead of him and should be a more prominent figure in the team in the coming years. Thats 4 very promising englishmen in The Arsenal.
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