After a week of doubt and disappointment, on the evening of Friday (1 July) 11-time Olympic medallist Ryan Lochte won the right to represent the USA in the 200m individual medley at Rio 2016.

Lochte finished second in the event at the Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, just 0.31 seconds behind long-time rival, friend and defending Olympic champion Michael Phelps, who touched the wall in 1 minute and 55.91 seconds. Lochte's world record time for the event is 1:54.00.

Phelps’s time is the second-fastest in the world this year; Lochte’s is third-fastest. Phelps is the three-time defending Olympic gold medallist in the event. Lochte has now finished second to Phelps in this event at four straight Olympic trials. 

The third-placed swimmer, David Nolan, finished fully three seconds behind Phelps, underlining the duo's long dominance of the event.

“I knew going into this race it was definitely going to be a dog fight till the end. I love racing against him," 31-year-old Lochte said after the race. "It's so much fun. It was kind of a little heartbreaking at the end, because after we finished, we gave each other a hug and said, ‘Good job.’ We both knew it was probably the last time me and him were going to race each other on US soil." 

“Ryan and I always have a great race,"  Phelps said. "When we race each other we bring each other to a different level, we take each other to that next step, and that race especially. I think there is still a lot that I can improve on there." 

Earlier this week, Lochte strained his groin and failed to qualify in the event where he is the reigning Olympic champion, the 400m individual medley. As well as racing in the 200m individual medley at Rio 2016, he will also be a member of the USA's 4x200m freestyle relay.

"This will be my first time not having so many events, so I can really bunker down and focus on these two races in Rio," Lochte said.