Race Video: Michael Phelps Swimming Unofficial 200 IM

Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr

AUSTIN – Michael Phelps unofficially swam the seventh-fastest 200-yard IM of all time during an exhibition swim at the American Short Course Championships last night.

The Georgian Swimmers Club managed to film the race. Warning, it was done vertically so it’s a bit hard to watch, but you can see Phelps putting on a show as if he were throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game.

Original report on the swim:

Phelps swam an unofficial time of 1:40.84 in the 200-yard IM last night at the American Short Course Championships, but it won’t count as it wasn’t in a time trial capacity and Phelps will not return from his suspension until next month.

Phelps, who is with the North Baltimore contingent at the American Short Course Championships, put up a sizzling 1:40.84.. He did the swim five minutes prior to the start of finals last night as an exhibition for those in attendance.

If the time has been official, it would have been the seventh-fastest swim of all time.

Phelps split the race: 21.58, 46.87, 1:16.63, 1:40.84.

All Time 200 IMs

Rank	Name	Time
1	David Nolan	1:40.07
2	Ryan Lochte	1:40.08
3	Bradley Ally	1:40.49
4	Ryan Lochte	1:40.55
5	Marcin Cieslak	1:40.58
6	Michael Phelps	1:40.58
7	Michael Phelps	1:40.84 – unofficial
8	Ryan Lochte	1:40.89
9	Ryan Lochte	1:40.97
10	Kyle Whitaker	1:41.14

The swim happened earlier in the evening before Stanford’s David Nolan clocked the fastest time ever with a 1:40.07 at Pac 12s.

Phelps’ time is his second best ever, behind his lifetime best of 1:40.58 set while swimming for NBAC at the 2010 Maryland Swimming Championships.

NBAC must have fed off Phelps’ performance as teammate Allison Schmitt, who took Phelps’ engagement pictures last month, vaulted to fifth all time in the 500-yard free last night.

Phelps will be done with his DUI suspension and have his first official swims next month at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Mesa, Ariz.

USA Swimming made some news recently as Executive Director Chuck Wielgus told ESPN that there might be a path for Phelps to regain a spot on Team USA for the World Championships this summer. Following his DUI arrest, Phelps withdrew from the meet that will take place after the conclusion of his six-month competition ban.

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