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IRVINE, California, August 20. THE 2010 Pan Pacific Championships might as well be renamed the Ryan Lochte show with the performance he has had thus far. With three gold medals, including one in the 200 free, 400 IM and the 800 free relay, Lochte added his fourth gold with a Pan Pacific record time in the men's 200 back.
Lochte clocked a 1:54.12, crushing Ryosuke Irie's previously top-ranked time of 1:55.11 from February. Lochte also clipped Aaron Peirsol's meet record of 1:54.44 set in 2006. Lochte's time this evening nearly cracked the top 10 all time, currently cut-off by a 1:54.09 from Irie in 2009. The U.S. has never lost the event in Pan Pacs history since the meet began in 1985. Peirsol had won the last two titles with a 1:56.88 in 2002 and the previous Pan Pac record of 1:54.44 in 2006.
USA's Tyler Clary raced to second in 1:54.90 to move to second in the world, while Irie wound up third overall in 1:55.21 – just off his season best.
Australia's Ashley Delaney (1:57.78), New Zealand's Gareth Kean (1:58.55), South Africa's George Du Rand (1:59.66), Canada's Charles Francis (2:00.37) and Canada's Tobias Oriwol (2:00.79) rounded out the rest of the championship field.
Peirsol, who holds the world record in the event with a 1:51.92 from last year, wound up winning the B final with a 1:56.67 after qualifying third in the morning. He finished just off his season best of 1:56.22 from prelims as well.
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