Ryan Lochte Claims Two Victories at Florida Virtual Championships

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Ryan Lochte Claims Two Victories at Florida Virtual Championships

The last time Ryan Lochte was in action, he left the U.S. Open last month displeased with his performances. Consequently, how Lochte responds to his efforts from Friday night at the Florida Virtual Championships will be interesting.

Clearly in training and making the move from the long-course setup of the U.S. Open to the short-course format used in Sarasota, Lochte registered victories in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Lochte opened the night by winning the 200 free in 1:36.21, with 16-year-old Liam Custer a hundredth behind in 1:36.22. Lochte later returned to the pool and prevailed in the 100 fly in 47.92.

Coming off the U.S. Open, Lochte indicated a need to return to hard training and stressed a desire to race more consistently. By appearing at the Florida Virtual Champs, Lochte is seeking out racing opportunities. More, his times reflect an athlete who is in a heavy training cycle.

A four-time Olympian, Lochte is trying to qualify for a fifth Games next summer in Tokyo. He currently owns 12 Olympic medals, which places him in a tie with Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin for second all-time among swimmers. Michael Phelps owns the Olympic record for career medals with 28, of which 23 are gold.

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