{"id":142330,"date":"2015-07-09T16:56:19","date_gmt":"2015-07-09T23:56:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=142330"},"modified":"2015-07-11T09:04:51","modified_gmt":"2015-07-11T16:04:51","slug":"ryan-lochte-melanie-margalis-thrill-thrill-on-night-1-of-athens-sectionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ryan-lochte-melanie-margalis-thrill-thrill-on-night-1-of-athens-sectionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Lochte, Melanie Margalis Thrill On Night 1 Of Athens Sectionals"},"content":{"rendered":"

With three and a half weeks to go before the start of pool swimming at the world championships, Melanie Margalis<\/strong> and Ryan Lochte<\/strong> gauged their training progress in the 200 individual medley in Athens, Ga., at the USA Swimming sectionals. Both also had buzzworthy swims in the 50 freestyle in tonight\u2019s finals.<\/p>\n

Margalis won the women\u2019s 200 IM handily with a 2:10.26, just missing her lifetime best of 2:10.20 from last summer\u2019s nationals. Margalis will represent the United States in the 200 IM in Russia next month, and posting a near lifetime best today bodes well for the 23-year-old.<\/p>\n

Margalis\u2019 splits<\/strong>
\nButterfly: 28.54
\nBackstroke: 33.04
\nBreaststroke: 37.49
\nFreestyle: 31.19<\/p>\n

Kirsty Coventry<\/strong>, making a return to competition as she prepares to represent Zimbabwe at worlds, was a distant second with a 2:14.97. Emily Cameron<\/strong> took third in 2:14.98, making a big push to nearly overtake Coventry on freestyle. That\u2019s a one-second drop in Cameron\u2019s lifetime best, which she did way back in 2010 at junior nationals.<\/p>\n

Margalis came back to win the 50 free over NC State\u2019s Riki Bonnema<\/strong>, 25.79-25.88. That\u2019s a personal best for Margalis, who had never been under 26 seconds in the event. As for Bonnema, it\u2019s four tenths slower than her lifetime best, which she swam earlier this year at the Canadian nationals.<\/p>\n

As for Lochte, he is looking to make a run at an unprecedented fourth world title in the 200 IM. With main rival Kosuke Hagino withdrawing from worlds<\/a> due to injury, Lochte\u2019s path to world title No. 4 looks clearer. Today, he won the 200 IM in Athens with a 2:00.00, well off his third-ranked 1:57.20 from May, but enough to win. Lochte appeared to race aggressively through the backstroke leg before easing up a bit on breaststroke.<\/p>\n

Lochte\u2019s splits<\/strong>
\nButterfly: 25.10
\nBackstroke: 29.15
\nBreaststroke: 35.87
\nFreestyle: 29.88<\/p>\n

Connor Jaeger<\/strong> is going to worlds in the distance freestyle events, but showed off his stroke versatility with a second-place time of 2:02.28. Sam Stewart<\/strong> followed up in third place with a 2:02.43.<\/p>\n

Almost immediately after his 200 IM, Lochte stepped up for the B final of the 50 free, and drew a disqualification by swimming the entire length underwater. Though it was a freestyle race, rules dictate that the swimmer must surface before the 15-meter mark after the start. Lochte clocked a quick 23.49 to finish fifth in the B heat.<\/p>\n

\n

Ryan Lochte just took a DQ in the 50 free B final and went 50m uw dolphin kick… And went 23.49… Faster than 23.55 he did in prelims<\/p>\n

\u2014 Preston Parrish (@SCCoachP45) July 9, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n