MICHAEL PHELPS GAINED revenge on rival Ryan Lochte by claiming the 200 metres individual medley at the US Olympic trials.
Lochte defeated Phelps in the 400m individual medley on Monday, but the 14-time Olympic gold medallist struck back in the shorter event on Saturday.
Phelps stopped the clock at one minute 54.84 seconds, with Lochte just nine hundredths of a second behind in second.
“It feels good to be back on that (winning) side,” Phelps told reporters.
“But I’m sure that’s not going to be the end of us going back and forth.”
Phelps, who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Games in 2008, has already qualified for four events in London and looks set to add a fifth after setting the quickest time in the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly.
Add in the three relays that Phelps is almost certain to contest and the 27-year-old is likely to swim eight events in London.
“It doesn’t really matter what happens here, the bigger races are a couple of weeks down the road,” Phelps said.
“The next race is the one that counts, I know that, and that’s one thing that I’m looking forward to.”
Meanwhile, teenager Missy Franklin is likely to contest seven events at her first Olympics in London after she finished in second place in the 100 metre freestyle final.
Franklin was narrowly touched out by Jessica Hardy, but the 17-year-old was quick enough to ensure she will add the event to her list in London.
Hardy released four years of built-up emotion and frustration when she finally clinched her place in Olympics team.
The 25-year-old Californian, who has been at the centre of a disputed doping case for four years, thought she had blown her chances when she failed to qualify in the 100m breaststroke, her favourite event.
But just when it seemed all was lost, she drew on all her experiences to earn a surprise victory in the 100m freestyle final.
“Never in a million years would I have thought I could win that race,” she told reporters after taking the final in 53.96 seconds.
“I thought breaststroke was my best stroke. What just happened? I’m so shocked and so happy and really grateful for that one. That was pure heart out there.”
