Clary edges Phelps in 200 fly heats
Michae Phelps competes in the men's 200-meter butterfly heats on July 30. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images)
The man who questioned Michael Phelps’s work ethic in a recent newspaper story swam faster than Phelps in the preliminary round of the 200-meter butterfly Monday morning at the Olympic aquatic center.
Tyler Clary, a U.S. teammate who swam with Phelps at the University of Michigan, posted the second-fastest time in the heats, 1 minute, 54.96 seconds, trailing only Dinko Jukic (1:54.79). Phelps clocked the fifth-fastest time, 1:55.53.
“I felt fantastic,” Clary said. “That time was faster than I was at the trials, and I hurt a heck of a lot more at the end of the race at trials.”
A few weeks before the Games, Clary was quoted in a California newspaper saying it was a “shame” Phelps did not work as hard as other swimmer. Clary said Monday he “spoke about it” to Phelps in his room the day the story appeared and then apologized to the entire U.S. Olympic team for causing a distraction. That, Tyler said Monday, “put it to rest.”
“People are going to think and say whatever the heck they want,” Clary said. “It doesn’t bother me.”
Phelps, who last week said he told Clary he didn’t have to say anything to mend fences, said he was “pretty happy” with his morning swim. He insisted he hadn’t lost confidence despite finishing fourth in the 400 individual medley on Saturday.
“I don’t think it had anything to do with confidence,” he said. “I thought I was ready to swim fast. Once I got in the race, it just didn’t happen.”
by Amy Shipley
Franklin inspired by Vollmer WR
Missy Franklin, 17, couldn’t understand why U.S. swimmer Dana Vollmer didn’t burst into tears after setting a world record Sunday night in the 100-meter butterfly. Franklin did.
“I don’t know how she wasn’t crying,” Franklin said. “All of us were back there, like, bawling our eyes out… It’s so exciting watching my team do well.”
Franklin will get a chance for her first individual gold medal in Monday’s 100 backstroke final, but she will be challenged by Australian Emily Seebohm, who was faster than Franklin in the heats and semifinal round.
In Monday morning’s preliminary heats of the 200 freestyle, Franklin posted the third-fastest time, behind Italian Federica Pellegrini, who qualified in 1:57.16, and U.S. teammate Allison Schmitt, the 400 free silver medal winner who came home in 1:57.33.
Franklin touched the wall in 1:57.62.
“It felt awesome,” Franklin said. “I definitely didn’t expect to be that fast this morning, so I’m really happy with that time… It’s a very stacked event, so no matter what happens it’s going to be a great semifinal and final.”
by Amy Shipley
U.S. women earn spots in day 3 semis
Caitlin Leverenz won her heat of the women's 200 individual medley in 2:10.63, out touching Hungary's Katinka Hosszú and Australia's Alicia Coutts by a combined .16 seconds. Leverenz is in the third spot for the tonight's semifinal after being passed by China's Ye Shiwen, the reigning world champion, and Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry, the event's 2008 silver medalist, in the final heat.
Ye touched in 2:08.90, the exact time in which she won gold at worlds last summer. It was another impressive swim for the 16-year-old two days after winning the 400 IM with the fastest freestyle split in history.
Also advancing was Ariana Kukors, who finished second in her heat and seventh overall with a time of 2:11.94. Kukors was third at last year's world championships for the U.S.
by Bryan Flaherty