Kate Ziegler taking a breath during the 1500m freestyle at 2011 World Championships. (Lintao Zhang/GettyImages)

Leading the U.S. team will be 2008 Olympic gold medalists Ryan Lochte, Natalie Coughlin, and Rebecca Soni. Two other swimmers to watch are 2011 world champions Elizabeth Beisel and 16-year-old Missy Franklin.

The European team features 2008 Olympic medalists Daniel Gyurta and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary, Lotte Friis of Denmark, and Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands. Also joining them will be 2004 Olympic silver medalist and former area standout, Markus Rogan (Austria), who swam for Curl-Burke and Mount Vernon in high school.

The meet will be broadcast Friday, 12/16, on Universal Sports, starting at 7 p.m. Saturday’s heats can be found on NBC, starting at 2 p.m. and again on Universal Sports at 7 p.m.

Ryan Lochte swims against France's Yannick Agnel at the 2011 World Championships. (Christinne Muschi/Reuters)

As the biggest name in the competition, all eyes will be on Lochte. But after a pedestrian Winter Nationals, for which the superstar did not rest, some wonder if this competition will result in much of the same. With Olympic Trials less than eight months away, the focus for many of these U.S. athletes will be maintaining their training schedules and not on earning boasting rights.

The U.S. team has never lost the event, now in its fifth year. The last competition was held in Manchester, U.K. in 2009 against the European all-star team comprised of athletes from Great Britain, Germany, and Italy. In 2003, 2005 and 2007, the U.S. team met the Australian national team.

As an incentive, swimmers will be awarded $1,500 for first place. World record times will earn $15,000. The meet will be held in short-course meters.

Ryan Lochte swims en route to a gold medal in the men's 200 back on Friday at the FINA World Championships. (Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

At the start of this meet, swimming fans wondered whether Lochte could hold his own against Phelps on such a major stage. The question, now, has changed: Can Phelps get his throne back at the London Olympics next summer?

Lochte led from start to finish in the backstroke final, then produced a dramatic comeback victory in a gripping relay with the fastest leg of the night. The two races had this in common: Lochte touched the wall about a body length ahead of the silver medal winners.

As American Rebecca Soni completed a gold-medal double in the breaststroke and Missy Franklin, 16, continued to raise hopes that she will be the next great U.S. female swimmer — she set an American record in the semifinals of the 200 backstroke — Lochte kept the pressure on Phelps, who has won two golds, two silvers and a bronze, for that title on the men’s side.

“If you go by medals alone . . . it’s a definite changing of the guard,” said U.S. teammate Tyler Clary, who won the bronze medal in the 200 backstroke. “Some people might say Michael’s not exactly on his game, but all that matters in a race is who comes prepared that day, and lately it’s been Ryan.”

Lochte won the 200 backstroke in 1 minute, 52.96 seconds, topping Japan’s Ryosuke Irie, who finished in 1:54.11, and Clary, 1:54.69. Shortly after the medal ceremony, and after Phelps advanced in the heats of the 100 fly, Lochte, Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay and Ricky Berens stepped on the pool deck for the final of a relay the United States has won in every major championships since the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.

The Americans prevailed, winning in 7:02.67 over France (7:04.81) and China (7:05.67) but it wasn’t easy. Phelps led at the 150 mark, only to be passed over the last 50 by Germany’s Paul Biedermann and France’s Yannick Agnel.

When Vanderkaay jumped in the water, he trailed Germany by .33 seconds and the French by .28. Phelps looked dismayed. Vanderkaay, however, regained the lead by .46 seconds.

“Obviously, I would have liked to have swum a little faster in the leadoff,” Phelps said. “I’ve said this every night so far: Hopefully, with more training, I can swim faster. . . . These guys have pulled the back end of the relay together really well.”

France’s Jeremy Stravius inched ahead of Berens on the third leg, putting the United States behind by 0.65 as Lochte dived in against Fabien Gilot. The two were just about even after 100 meters before Lochte sped away, giving the United States a victory margin of 2.14 seconds. The Chinese finished 5.65 seconds back.

“There’s two guys you want to have at the end of a relay, Michael and Ryan,” Berens said. “When Ryan is hot like he is now, you don’t want anyone else at the end of a relay.”

The last man celebrating Lochte’s achievements this week has been Lochte; he hasn’t so much as offered a satisfied smile or waggled a finger at the end of his gold-medal races. Both he and Phelps have two more events to swim. Both will compete in the 4×100 medley relay; Phelps has the 100 butterfly final and Lochte, the 400 individual medley. Lochte seems determined not to break his concentration as he seeks to leave here with six golds.

“I have a lot of confidence, especially after what happened last year” at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, when he won six gold medals, Lochte said. “I still have one more [individual] race left to finish off this meet, then, after that, get ready for 2012.”

Clary said anyone who discounts Phelps next year would look like a fool, but noted that things had suddenly gotten very interesting entering the 2012 Summer Games.

“People like controversy,” Clary said. “People like to see the greatest Olympic champion of all time possibly get beat.”

They also enjoy seeing new champions emerge. Franklin, who has earned a gold, silver and bronze already, made herself the gold-medal favorite in Saturday’s 200 backstroke final by posting the fastest time in the semifinals. Her finish in 2:05.90 went under Margaret Hoeltzer’s American best of 2:06.09 from 2008.

“She is awesome,” U.S. teammate Elizabeth Beisel said. “She didn’t even know it was an American record. . . . She was like, ‘What? No way!’ She definitely one day is going to be the face of the women’s team.”

Time — most likely about a year — will tell who will be the face of the men’s team.

“Times speak for themself,” Clary said. “The fact that just about every one of [Lochte’s] races he’s pretty much done it hands down, that’s all the speaking that needs to be done.”

shipleya@washpost.com

Elizabeth Beisel, left, hugs Elizabeth Pelton after Beisel's win in to 200 backstroke at the U.S. swimming championships. Pelton finished second to earn her another berth in the world championships. (Darron Cummings, Associated Press)

Locals Results

U.S. swimming championships archives

INDIANAPOLIS, July 10 — North Baltimore Aquatic Club Coach Paul Yetter attempted to respond to a bystander’s congratulations, but he had difficulty saying anything at all. His words came out stripped of various syllables.
It was understandable: Yetter had just screamed himself hoarse for the third night this week.

His star pupil, Towson’s Elizabeth Pelton, 15, had just won her third silver medal at the U.S. swimming championships Friday night, her latest finish in the 200-meter backstroke ensuring that she would be considered Team USA’s hottest teen star entering the July 26-Aug. 2 world championships in Rome.

With her performances this week, Pelton earned the right to compete in four individual events in Rome, a distinction that, with one day of competition here remaining, only one other U.S. swimmer can claim.

That swimmer, you may have heard of him, is Michael Phelps.

“This team is kind of the ‘next generation,’.” Pelton said. “I think the next generation is starting to make [its] move. I’m really excited.”

Leading the generational shift is Pelton, who also claimed second in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley earlier this week. Her finish in the 100 back gave her an additional world-team berth in the 50 backstroke, an event not raced here, raising her total of individual events to four.

“It’s always fun to see somebody break out like she’s broken out here,” said Mark Schubert, USA Swimming’s National Team Director. “She’s starting to swim like a veteran.”

Because the 200 medley and 100 back take place nearly back-to-back in Rome, it’s possible Pelton will compete in only three events, perhaps the trio of backstrokes. That likely will be sorted out in the coming days as the U.S. team begins its preparations here before departing for a U.S. training base in Italy on Tuesday.

In any case, it’s an impressive load for a swimmer whose previous biggest meet was last January’s Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Guam. In fact, she didn’t even think to pack a bag for Italy. A suitcase assembled by her brother arrived Friday, carried by the mother of another swimmer competing here this weekend.

In Guam, North Dakota’s Dagny Knutson, 17, had been the unequivocal star, winning seven gold medals. Elizabeth Beisel, 16, meantime, had emerged as a promising prospect years before, having made her international debut at the senior Pan Pac championships at age 13.

Both of those teens were more acclaimed up-and-comers entering this meet. Both have made the U.S. world team — Knutson qualifying for a 200 relay team spot — but neither has shined as brightly as Pelton.

“The meet in Guam, that’s where I kind of realized I could do pretty well at this meet,” Pelton said. “That’s kind of where the motivation comes from for this season.”

Beisel won the U.S. title in the 400 individual medley and Friday’s 200 back, outracing Pelton over the last 50 meters. Beisel finished in 2 minutes, 8.80 seconds. Pelton touched the wall in 2:09.19. Both of them finished ahead of American-record holder Margaret Hoelzer, 26, who finished third in 2:09.63.

Virginia swimmer Mei Christensen, 20, who has represented Curl-Burke Swim Club here, finished seventh in 2:12.28.

“It was really nerve-wracking,” Pelton said. “All of these races are nerve-wracking.”

Pelton, however, swam a smart race. Fifth after the first 50 meters, she made her move during the backstroke leg and swam steadily after.

“I didn’t really expect her to qualify in as many events as she did, but in the back of my mind I expected she would perform at a high level,” Yetter said. “She’s really, really cool, calm and confident. The credit goes to her family.”

Pelton uprooted her family for the sport in the summer of 2006. The Peltons had grown tired of a 100-mile round-trip commute to swim practices from their home in Fairfield, Conn. They realized they had to make a move to ensure Pelton and her brother Greg — who will swim next fall at Harvard — could get the training their talents warranted without wearing out the family.

Knowing the reputation for churning out young stars at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, the home club of Phelps and three-time Olympian Katie Hoff, the Pelton family put their house up for sale. Elizabeth Pelton, her mother Anne and three siblings moved to Towson.

But the family patriarch, Greg Pelton, a former collegiate swimmer who competed at the 1980 U.S. Olympic trials, stayed behind. He moved into a studio apartment in Manhattan, close to his job as a professor at Columbia University. He travels to Towson on weekends.

The Peltons have never regretted the move, Anne Pelton said during a recent interview, but in case there was any wavering, Elizabeth Pelton’s performance this week surely erased it.

“She definitely has the potential,” Beisel said, “to medal in the events she is going to swim.”

Elizabeth Pelton, 15, could win her third world championship berth Friday night. (Toni L. Sandys, The Washington Post)

Phelps Pulls Out Of 100 Free

Locals Results

U.S. swimming championships archives

INDIANAPOLIS, July 10–Towson’s Elizabeth Pelton, 15, did not expect to make the world championship team in one event here at the U.S. swimming championships, let alone two.

By Friday night, it could be three.

Her performance in Friday’s morning heats of the women’s 200-meter backstroke gave her the second seed for Friday night’s final.

“I kind of like being under the radar,” she said.

She’s not anymore. Her finish in 2 minutes, 09.72 seconds trailed only Elizabeth Beisel, 16, who touched the wall in 2:09.36. Making things interesting will be Katie Riefenstahl, 19, of the University of Texas; she placed third in 2:09.98.

Curl-Burke’s Mei Christensen, 20, also will compete in the final; she drew the eighth seed with her finish in 2:12.98.

The top two finishers in the final will earn spots in the July 26-Aug. 2 world championships in Rome. Pelton is already ticketed for Italy in the 200 medley and the 100 back.

“It’s always fun to see somebody break out like she’s broken out here,” said Mark Schubert, USA Swimming’s National Team Director. “She’s starting to swim like a veteran. Swimming at the world championships can be an important part of that process.”

Because the world championship team will remain in town until departing Tuesday for Italy, Pelton has had a bit of scrambling to do. Her brother Greg, who will swim at Harvard this fall, packed her suitcase Friday, she said. The suitcase will be shuttled here by the mother of another athlete competing this weekend, Pelton said.

“I don’t really like to predict things,” Pelton said when asked why she hadn’t brought extra clothing. “I feel like that jinxes it.”

After the world championships, Pelton will beginning training under Bob Bowman, who coaches Michael Phelps, Katie Hoff and a few other elite athletes at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. Pelton has trained under Paul Yetter since her family moved from Fairfield, Conn., but Yetter will assume an assistant coaching position at Auburn after these championships.

“I’m very excited about it,” Bowman said. “It will be really nice to take somebody at the start of her career. It’s a situation where we will have a long-term plan and just gradually take her along.”

Torres Out of 100 Free

Dara Torres, 42, said she would not compete in the 100 free Saturday since she clinched a spot on the world championship team with her victory Thursday in the 50 free. Torres said pushing off the wall taxes her arthritic left knee too much to risk competing in that event.

She will, however, swim in a time trial in the 50 butterfly Saturday in an attempt to set a new world record (she already holds the American record in the event). Torres could compete in the 50 fly event at the world championships. USA Swimming rules give 100 fly champion Christine Magnusson and second-place finisher Dana Vollmer first dibs, but if they decline to compete in the sprint, Torres could get the call.

Schubert Rails Against Suits

Schubert said the new high-tech suits that have proliferated in recent months likely cost some deserving U.S. athletes places on the world championship team.

The world swimming governing body (FINA) in May considered banning more than 100 of the most controversial suits, but then changed its mind and approved 400 suits for use this year.

“I think there are some athletes that are very loyal to their companies who may not have made changes because of that loyalty, and it cost them spots on the team,” Schubert said.

Schubert declined to elaborate, but he surely was referring to some of Speedo’s sponsored athletes. Besides Phelps, Speedo’s top athletes have not had great success here. One that has, Torres, wore a Jaked01 suit in her victory Thursday. Though Speedo was at the forefront of the suit technology last year, dozens of newer and increasingly performance-enhancing suits have since been released.

Speedo’s LZR, the suit of choice at last year’s Olympics, is now considered archaic.

“It would be unfortunate if it makes a difference in who the true world champion is,” Schubert said. “We want athleticism to determine the world champion. There certainly is a risk.”

Schubert also said: “The coaching community and swimming community would like us to go back to the 2007 generation of suits. That’s been the proposal; that’s what FINA promised in January. But they also promised something in May that they didn’t deliver on … I’ve been disappointed.”

Sutton Shines in 800; Ziegler, Hoff, Don’t Swim

Mission Viejo’s Chloe Sutton, 17, qualified first in the women’s 800 heats, which went off without defending world champion Kate Ziegler or Hoff in the field. Sutton, who trained for two years with Ziegler at the McLean-based Fish, finished in 8:29.55.

Ziegler’s hopes of defending her title were erased by a bout with the flu that prevented her from traveling here. Hoff also did not compete in the 800 and she has pulled out of the 100 Saturday as well. A three-time medal winner in Beijing, Hoff finished sixth in the 400 here and eighth in the 200, then described this past year as the hardest of her life.

“I think everybody can have a down year over a long career,” Schubert said. “She’s been a person on top of the national level since she was 14 years old … I’m not concerned; I’m disappointed for her because I know she wanted to be on this team.”

Local Results

NBAC’s Brennan Morris, 18, qualified for the 1,500 final, earning the fourth seed in 15:17.39. Besides Brennan, Pelton and Christensen, there were no other local finalists, but there were a host of top-20 placements: NBAC’s Andrew Cosgarea, 16, finished 13th in 15:32.43 and George Mason grad Thomas Koucheravy, 24, 14th in 15:32.56.  Curl-Burke’s Meredith Monroe, 20, finished 20th in the 200 back in 2:15.61; NBAC’s Austin Surhoff, 18, and T.P. Patrick made the B final of the 200 individual medley, Surhoff coming home in 2:03.46 and Patrick in 2:03.94. In the women’s 200 fly, NBAC’s Lee, Kailey Morris, 21, and Virginia’s Elizabeth Shaw, 20, all qualified for the B final. Lee finished in 2:12.49; Morris, 2:13.94, and Shaw, 2:13.97.