Olympic Preview: Men’s 200 Individual Medley

By John Lohn

CRANBURY, New Jersey, April 8. THIS week marks the halfway point of SwimmingWorldMagazine.com's Olympic Preview Series, a 32-week stretch that will lead up to the Beijing Games this summer. Our 16th installment takes a look at the men's 200 individual medley, an event that likely will yield – as was the case in 2004 – a gold-silver finish for the United States.

Historical Perspective

Defending Champion: Michael Phelps (United States) – 1:57.14.
World-Record Holder: Michael Phelps (United States) – 1:54.98.
Most Titles: Hungary (Three) – Tamas Darnyi (1988/1992); Attila Czene (1996).
Notable: At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, four of the eight finalists in the 200 IM managed to crack the two-minute barrier. This summer, it will likely take a sub-2:00 performance just to reach the championship heat, such is the advancement in the event over the past four years.

Here's a look at the top contenders in the 200 IM.

Michael Phelps:
The defending champion and world-record holder will be the favorite in Beijing, hardly a surprise. At last year's World Championships in Melbourne, Phelps delivered a spectacular showing, clocking a global standard of 1:54.98. Phelps is the only man in history to break the 1:56 barrier and has won the past three world titles to go with his Olympic crown.

Ryan Lochte:
In Athens, the American picked up the silver medal and another podium finish is expected. Lochte is the second-fastest performer in history and was the silver medalist at the 2007 World Championships. Lochte has closed the gap between himself and Phelps since the 2004 Olympics, but he's still more than a second off Phelps' world record. Whether he can eliminate that deficit will be determined shortly.

Laszlo Cseh:
Widely considered the best medley swimmer in the world outside of Phelps and Lochte, the Hungarian finished fourth in Athens, edged by George Bovell for the bronze medal. At the World Champs last year, Cseh was the bronze-medal winner in 1:56.92, a time that ranked third in the world. Cseh is a leading challenger for medals in both medley disciplines.

Liam Tancock:
Prior to the British Trials, Tancock was best known for his exploits in the 50 and 100 backstrokes. However, he has tossed his name into the medal ring in the 200 IM, thanks to a best mark of 1:57.79. That swim was a considerable improvement over his best time from last year, a 1:59.19 from the Japan International Swim Meet.

James Goddard:
The British contingent for Beijing in the shorter medley will not be carried solely by Tancock. In the final at the British Trials, Goddard took the gold medal in 1:57.72, joining an exclusive company of men who have gone under 1:58. Goddard is also a standout in the 200 backstroke for a rapidly improving Great Britain.

Thiago Pereira:
The Brazilian is a multi-event standout and just finished outside of the medals at last year's World Championships. He was timed in 1:58.98 in the Melbourne final, but he dropped that time at the Pan American Games to 1:57.79, good for the fourth-fastest time in the world. For a medal, Pereira likely will need something in the 1:56 range at minimum.

Eric Shanteau:
For the Auburn University product to reach Beijing in the 200 IM, he's going to have to knock off either Phelps or Lochte, far from an easy task. A favorite to make the team in the 200 breaststroke, Shanteau had a best medley time in 2007 of 1:59.56, a mark that rated eighth in the world.

Brian Johns:
The Canadian had a breakthrough in the 200 IM at the 2007 World Championships, clocking 1:59.46 in Melbourne. That effort landed Johns a fifth-place finish in a stacked field. Clearly, Johns has a long way to go to be in the chase for a medal. Dropping even three seconds probably won't even get the job done.

Tamas Kerekjarto:
The Hungarians have a lengthy legacy in this event and Kerekjarto is simply maintaining that status, along with Cseh. Kerekjarto ranked seventh in the world last year with a time of 1:59.51. At the World Champs, he was the sixth-place finisher, less than a second outside of the fourth-place slot.

Ryan Lochte at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

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