Ryan Lochte: Why Star Swimmer Still Won't Overtake Michael Phelps in London

Ever since the Beijing Olympics, American swimmer Ryan Lochte has steadily improved to the point where he is now favored in each of his five races in London. Lochte will compete against 14-time Olympic gold medalist and USA teammate Michael Phelps in two of those races. While Lochte may be in better form, Phelps will rise to the occasion on the big stage.

Lochte and Phelps have what would be best described as a friendly rivalry and it will be on full display when they go head-to-head in both the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley events. Phelps won gold in both races back in 2008, while Lochte won bronze in each. They sandwiched Hungarian swimmer Laszlo Cseh, but Phelps and Lochte figure to be first and second in both races this year.

Lochte qualified about a tenth of a second faster than Phelps in the 200-meter race and about eight-tenths of a second faster in the grueling 400-meter IM, but it's important to remember that Phelps didn't train as strenuously as he did during the lead up to Beijing. Phelps took some time off after his record-breaking performance, so he is just now reaching his peak.

Phelps still holds the world record in the 400-meter race, which he set in Beijing, and he was pretty much identical to Lochte in the 200-meter individual medley during qualifying. Lochte may have the best times in those events entering the Olympics, but it isn't as if he is blowing Phelps away by any means.

Despite that, most believe that Lochte is a virtual lock to beat Phelps. The fact of the matter is, however, that Phelps is simply a winner. Many have questioned his desire for excellence after what he accomplished in Beijing, but once Phelps hits the water in the Olympic setting, I believe we will see a swimmer that is very much like the one that reeled in eight golds back in 2008.

It should also be taken into account that Phelps likely wasn't putting in maximum effort to qualify. I'm sure he was pretty confident that he could make the field at partial speed, so there wasn't much incentive for him to go all out. It will be a completely different story in London, though, and that is where the real Michael Phelps will show himself.

That isn't to say that Lochte can't win those races if he swims as well as he possibly can, but I feel like Phelps' best is better than Lochte's best. It interesting to hear how people compare Lochte and Phelps because it is almost as if some think Lochte is a young up-and-comer, while Phelps is an over-the-hill veteran.

Phelps definitely has more tread on the tires as he will be competing in his fourth Olympic Games, but both competitors are 27 years old and on the same exact level in that regard. It seems like fans are ready to move on from Phelps and embrace a new Olympic hero in Lochte, but I wouldn't count on it happening in London.

Lochte will probably win gold in his other three events as the competition isn't as stiff, but Phelps isn't going to ride off into the sunset quietly. His legacy as one of the greatest Olympics ever is already cemented, but Phelps likely wants to be considered the greatest Olympian ever, bar none, and beating Lochte twice will ensure that is the case.

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