At the Austin Grand Prix, Phelps beat Lochte by nearly two seconds, winning in 1 minute 58.52 seconds. Lochte came in well ahead of third in 2:00.30.

Both athletes were unrested for the competition, which may account for the lackluster performances by Lochte, who is known for under performing until he’s on taper.

What is apparent from this weekend is that the title of “World’s Best Swimmer” is far from decided, we’ll have to wait for London 2012 before bestowing that designation on either Phelps or Lochte.

Also in the water on Sunday, Sarah Haase, the reigning All-Met Swimmer of the Year from Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club, placed sixth overall in the women’s 100 breaststroke, finishing in 1:09.78. She was the highest finisher among the group of Potomac Valley swimmers that competed this weekend. Rebecca Soni won the event in 1:06.88.

Former area swimmer, Matt McLean, finished fourth in the men’s 1500 freestyle (15:42.46), just behind Thomas Allen and Peter Vanderkaay. Michael Kleuh won the event by a wide margin, finishing in 15:25.33.

Allison Schmitt got her third win in the freestyle events, winning the women’s 800 freestyle on Sunday. She also won the 400 freestyle in record-breaking time on the opening night.

Matt Grevers touched first in the men’s 100 backstroke in 53.55, against a fast field that included Phelps – finished third – and Lochte – finished sixth, who swam very busy schedules this weekend, including the subsequent event. Jack Conger (RMSC) finished 12th overall in 56.28.

Missy Franklin won the women’s 100 backstroke in 59.92 for her second win this weekend.

Natalie Coughlin won the women’s 200 IM (2:12.44), just beating out Katie Hoff who touched in 2:12.95. This will be one of the most competitive events at Trials this year, with the likes of Caitlin Leverenz, Elizabeth Pelton, and Elizabeth Beisel joining the field in Omaha.

For complete results from the first night of the Austin Grand Prix, click here.

At the first turn, Phelps was over a second ahead of the field, and was on pool record pace until he slowed in freestyle, showing obvious signs of fatigue. Heading into his fourth Olympics, many wonder how many more miraculous performances Phelps has left like what he showed in Beijing in 2008.

Phelps, who could qualify in eight events like he did in the last Olympics, will probably choose a slightly abbreviated schedule in London, especially with a surging Ryan Lochte challenging Phelps in the individual medley events. They’ll meet in Sunday’s 200 IM final.

Phelps wasn’t the only Maryland swimmer to open the night well. RMSC’s Charlotte Meyer (17) dropped five seconds from her prelims time to win the “C” Final in the women’s 400 IM in 4:56.19, a new personal best.

Jack Conger (17) won his heat in the “B” Final of the men’s 200 backstroke in 2:02.77. Matt Grevers was the winner in the “A” Final in a time of 1:57.76. Lochte faded to third in 1:59. 53, despite having the lead after the first lap.

Allison Schmitt won the women’s 200 freestyle in 1:55.83, for her second win. She bested Missy Franklin, who placed second in 1:57.86.

Ricky Berens and Matt McLean (Sterling, Va.) battled in the men’s 200 freestyle. Berens took an early lead, before McLean surged ahead in the third length. But a blistering split in the final 50-meters sealed the win for Berens, who won in 1:47.92. McLean finished second in 1:48.02.

Amanda Weir continued to impress in the freestyle events, winning the women’s 50 freestyle in 25.23. Weird finished third in the 100 freestyle, last night, behind  Franklin and Schmitt.

To conclude the night, the relay team of Sarah Haase (17), Ellen Anderson (17), Anna Kolanowski (16), and Corrigan McIlmail (15) finished fifth in the 4×800 freestyle relay for RMSC.

For complete results from the first night of the Austin Grand Prix, click here.

Swimmers to watch on last day of finals

If you can only catch one race from tonight’s finals, the men’s 200 IM will be worth making time for. Phelps and Lochte are both training through this weekend’s events, but that doesn’t mean these competitors don’t want to win.

The reigning Olympic champion, Phelps, is the top qualifier, but Lochte, the world record holder, will be right beside him, in what will most certainly be a preview of this year’s Olympic final.

Haase is the number two qualifier in women’s 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:09.45, a new personal best for the 17-year-old senior. She’ll face Rebecca Soni in tonight’s final, the 2008 silver medalist in the event.

Franklin was the top qualifier in the women’s 100 backstroke in 1:00.74, but expect a great race from Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin, who will be right beside Franklin in tonight’s final.

The women’s 200 IM will feature Katie Hoff, Coughlin, and Franklin, along with Canadian Olympian Julia Wilkinson, who will be right on the American’s heels.

The men’s 100 backstroke will feature Nick Thoman and Matt Grevers as the top seeds, along with Michael Phelps who qualified fifth. Conger advanced to the “C” Final. Lochte will appear in the “B” Final.

Finals begin at 7 p.m. USA Swimming will have a live webcast of the meet online throughout the weekend. For additional information visit www.usaswimming.org/grandprix.

Brendan Hansen competes in the Men's 4x100m Medley Relay during the Duel in the Pool at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center on December 16 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

They’ll be competing at the second of seven Grand Prix Series long-course events, held by USA Swimming this year, giving swimmers additional chances at achieving their Olympic Trials qualifying times.

Local clubs, RMSC and Machine Aquatic, will be in attendance with members from their national teams, who are all looking to add to or make their first Trials cuts.

“We have ten swimmers within three-tenths of a second of a [Trials] cut time,” said Machine Head Coach Daniel Jacobs. “USA Swimming has been pushing the bar to get teams to compete in the Grand Prix Series. It’s great to get out here and see the country’s best competing.”

Getting her first taste at this level will be 13-year-old Suzanne Dolan, swimming for Machine. She will join the team’s headliners, Ryan Natal (17) and Ali Haufler (17), who are both gunning for their first Trials cuts.

Already qualified for Trials, RMSC’s Jack Conger (17) will be competing for several finals appearances, including “A” Finals in the 100 and 200 backstroke events. The reigning Boys’ All-Met Swimmer of the Year will be joined by the Girls’ Swimmer of the Year, Sarah Haase (17), who is looking to add to her list of events for Trials in June.

They’ll compete against marquee names who use these series as training meets, as they hone their race skills before the last push to Trials.

Phelps is entered in six events, including the 100 freestyle, where he will meet American sprint-star Nathan Adrian. Phelps is expected to mix up his events going into his fourth Olympics, and may add the 100 free to his repertoire at Trials this year. In 2008, Phelps competed in the event in order to secure a spot on the Men’s 4×100 freestyle relay.

The underlying story of the meet surrounds the “come-back kids” for this year’s Olympics, which include former area standout Ed Moses, alongside sprinter Anthony Ervin, Brendan Hansen, and Olympic legend Janet Evans.

Former Olympic gold medalist JanetEvans trains in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Chris Carlson/AP)

If you’re not familiar with Evans, check out her biography page on her website. The four-time Olympic gold medalist is often considered the greatest American distance freestyler of all time.

Another long-time retiree, Moses is striving to get back to his 2000 form, documented in his Universal Sports series “Against the Tide.”

The furthest along in the group of former Olympians is Hansen, who had a brilliant Duel in the Pool, winning both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. It won’t be easy for the 30-year-old, despite the overall weakness of American breaststrokers this year.

Eric Shanteau, who missed the finals of the 2008 Olympics in the 200 breaststroke, is still the best in the event, and he won’t give up that spot easily.

Few swimmers will be rested for this meet, with Trials such a long way off, but it should be exciting to see which American swimmers step up when they’re swimming next to the person challenging them for a coveted spot on the US Olympic team.

Full psych sheet is available here.

Watch the 2012 Austin Grand Prix live at USASwimming.org Friday through Sunday. Timeline available here.

But swimming revved up the year before the 2012 Summer Olympics, again drawing the attention of fans beyond its immediate circle of swimmers, parents, and coaches.

Ryan Lochte took down the first world record in the post-super-suits era. Sixteen-year-old phenom Missy Franklin stepped out as a contender for Olympic gold. Swim suit manufactures unveiled their newest textile speed-suits. And gold medalist breaststrokers Brendan Hansen and Ed Moses ended their retirements in hopes of tasting Olympic glory one last time.

The DC, Va., and Md. metro areas saw their own swimmers making headlines locally and nationally. Let’s look back at RFTW’s top stories of 2011.

1. November 14 – Katie Ledecky shines at National Age Group Team Challenge

In a meet stacked with nationally ranked age group swimmers, 14-year old Kate Ledecky smashed two 13-14 National Age Group yards records at the 5th Annual National Age Group Team Challenge. Ledecky now finds herself in an elite category of American distance freestylers heading into 2012.

Katie Ledecky in the 1000 freestyle final (Bryan Flaherty/The Washington Post)

2. February 27 – Whitman girls repeat at metros; Gonzaga boys victorious

On a night when six meet records fell, depth proved to be the deciding factor for both the Whitman girls and the Gonzaga boys. The Purple Eagles won just one individual event and one relay but picked up enough points to capture their first Metros title since 2003. Whitman used nine top-five finishes to pile up enough points to pull away from Good Counsel and Churchill.

3. February 19 – Langley girls, Westfield boys win Va. AAA titles

After finishing in second place in district, regional and state competition last year, Langley senior Jayme Katis wrote on her team captain application that the Saxons would win region and state titles this winter. The team outdid that forecast, taking Liberty District and Northern Region titles on their way to the Va. AAA state title.

Madison senior Kelly Corish helped completed the sweep for the Warhawks at the AAA Northern Region diving championships (Photo courtesy of Sandy Corish).

4. March 22 – Locals shine at Junior Nationals; Curl-Burke wins

In a testament to the hotbed of swimming talent that is the greater Washington region, Curl-Burke Swim Club, a member of Potomac Valley Swimming, brought home the boys’ title as well as the combined team crown.

5. November 11 – On signing day, no letters to sign for three Maryland high school swimmers

On the eve of the early signing period for NCAA National Letters of Intent, three area high school swimmers — verbally committed to swim for the University of Maryland next year — were contacted by the school’s athletic department and told that Maryland would not be sending out letters to swimming recruits, and they should pursue offers from other institutions.

6. July 13 – Recap: MCSL Coaches Long Course Meet

With clear skies and large crowds lining the 50-meter Olympic-sized pool, nine records were broken and two Olympic Trials cuts were achieved at the MCSL Coaches Long Course meet at Rockville Swim Center.

The 15-18 women line-up for the 200m breaststroke at the 2011 MCSL Coaches' Long Course meet. (Danielle Schulkin)

7. February 19 – Churchill boys, Whitman girls take MCPS titles

Churchill’s boys team mounted a comeback after trailing early in the MCPS championship meet to beat defending champion Wootton. Sparked by dominant performances in both freestyle relays, the Whitman girls went on to claim a second consecutive championship.

8. July 7 – Joe Pascale: a swimmer and a fighter

Last summer at the 2010  Senior Nationals, Joe Pascale made his first Olympic Trials cut in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 23.20 seconds.  He attributes his recent success in the water to a swimming regimen supplemented with mixed martial arts.

9. August 8 – McLean, Conger impress at Nationals

Matt McLean broke Tom Dolan’s 1996 Potomac Valley Swimming resident record in the 400 freestyle.  The former All-Met from Potomac Falls produced the second-fastest time in the event for an American this year. Jack Conger breaks 15-16 year-old NAG record.

10. January 19 – “The Magic of Miracles”

In the summer of 2010, Chuck Katis (current Harvard swimmer) and twin sister Jayme founded a non-profit organization, which they named The Magic of Miracles, to bring wonder and joy to the lives of young cancer patients receiving treatment at local hospitals

11. December 12 – Records tumble at Tom Dolan Invitational

The year ended with a record setting meet held at the beautiful University of Maryland Eppley Center. The PVS record books were rewritten over the four day meet, including several National Age Group records.

Michael Andrews sets NAG record in 100 IM (Bryan Flaherty/The Washington Post)

Right from the start of the medley relay, Natalie Coughlin, swimming the backstroke leg, was 1.5 seconds under the world-record split. Her teammates Rebecca Soni and Dana Vollmer didn’t fall off the pace, allowing Franklin to dive in with the world-record line in her wake.

The 16-year-old dazzled in the anchor spot, with a blistering 51.32 split to break the world record by over two seconds in  3 minutes 45.56 seconds.

Franklin continued to build her international resume, which includes three world championship gold medals, with first-place finishes in the 200 backstroke and 200 freestyle. She was just .11 off her own world record in 2:00.14. Using her final two walls, she broke free from Elizabeth Simmonds (Great Britain) and Elizabeth Pelton (USA) to win the race.

ATLANTA, GA - Jessica Hardy reacts after winning the Women's 100m Breaststroke during the Duel in the Pool at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center on December 17, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The United States commanded the dual meet from start to finish, enjoying a lead of 93.5 to 28.5 after the first day of competition against the European All-Star team that looked tepid at best and unprepared to challenge the American team.

Virginia star, Matt McLean (SNOW/Potomac Falls High School) enjoyed success in the freestyle events, taking third on the Friday night in the 400 freestyle and following up that performance on Saturday by coming from behind to take second in the 200 freestyle.

Former Mount Vernon High School and Curl-Burke swimmer, Markus Rogan (Austria) finished third in the 200 individual medley behind the event’s winner, Ryan Lochte, and Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh, who took second.

Ryan Lochte of the U.S. (bottom) starts alongside Europe's Radoslaw Kawecki of Poland in the men's 200 meters backstroke race during the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool swimming competition at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia December 16, 2011. (Tami Chappell/Reuters)

Swimming un-tapered, Lochte looked like a different person in the water after a disappointing Winter Nationals two weeks ago in this same pool, where his highest finish was fifth in the 400 individual medley. He cruised in the 200 backstroke, torpedoing off every wall and working his underwaters in the short-course format. Winning both individual medley events, he looked like the favorite to win as many as eight gold medals next year in London.

Also looking good this weekend after coming out of retirement, Brendan Hansen pulled off an amazing upset on Friday night, knocking off the world-record holder Daniel Gyurta to win the 200 breaststroke in a personal best time of 2:03.62. The next day the 30-year-old comeback swimmer brought more of the same to win the 100 breaststroke in 57.47.

Caitlin Leverenz was just .3 off the world record in the 200 individual medley in 2:04.91, one of the strongest events for the American women. This will certainly be one of the toughest events to make next year in Omaha at the Olympic Trials, where Duel teammates Pelton, Julia Smit, and Olympian Katie Hoff will challenge for a spot in the event.

To open day two, distance freestylers Lotte Friis (Denmark) and Pal Joensen (Faroe Islands) won the women’s and men’s 800 freestyle to give the European team some life. But it proved to be too little, as the American team rolled up the meet with several sweeps.

The United States clinched the meet early on Saturday, earning the necessary 131 points to win the meet with nine events to go.

Despite the lopsided score, the Europeans didn’t walk away empty handed, winning several events. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) won the women’s individual medley ahead of Leverenz in 4:24.37 and Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Netherlands) won the 100 freestyle in 51.87. Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh won the 200 butterfly with a brilliant final 50 meters, against an American field sorely missing superstar Michael Phelps.

To close the meet, the European All-Stars went under world-record time in the women’s 400 freestyle relay to win the event. However, the record will not stand because the relay members were from different countries.

Click here for full results and times.

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.

With 2012 Olympic trials just seven months away, swimmers are taking advantage of every opportunity to compete in long course meters as they hone their race skills and try to make Olympic trials cuts making Winter Nationals  one of the fastest meets between now and June 25, the first day of trials.

Winter Nationals will be broadcast, Sunday, 12/4, on NBC, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, and will be broadcast live on the USA Swimming website here, Friday through Saturday.

Former SNOW swimmer and University of Virginia graduate, Matt McLean is looking to defend his first place finish in the 400 free and improve upon his second place finish in the 200 free at the 2011 National Championships last August. He is seeded fifth in both the 400 free and 200 free. McLean swam for Potomac Falls High School in Sterling.

Final of the men's 200 freestyle in the FINA World Championships in Shanghai last July (Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images)

McLean will likely see competition in the Friday’s 400 free from South Carolina swimmer, Michael Flach, formerly of FISH and Bishop O’Connell High School. Flach is seeded ninth. He is also scheduled to compete in the 200 butterfly and is hoping to make another “A” Final in the event after placing ninth at nationals in August.

Kate Ziegler, shown here after winning the women's 400-meter freestyle U.S. Nationals in 2007. (Darron Cummings, Associated Press)

On the women’s side, former FISH and O’Connell standout Kate Ziegler is seeded first in the 800 freestyle and second in the 400 freestyle. She is hoping to keep building momentum towards a second Olympic berth.

Ziegler holds the world record in the 1500 freestyle.

Also competing this weekend will be two-time Olympian, Ryan Lochte, who is is scheduled for six individual events. Lochte is the top seed in the 200 freestyle, 400 individual medley, and 200 individual medley, in which he holds the world record, set last July in Shanghai at the 2011 World Championships. It was the first world record broken since the ban on technical suits.

Other Potomac Valley swimmers hoping to make it back for a night session are Jack Conger, seeded 10th in the 200 backstroke, and 14th in the 100 back; Sarah Haase, seeded 19th in the 100 breaststroke; and Janet Hu, seeded 19th in the 200 butterfly.

One of the youngest swimmers in the meet, SNOW’s Carrie Lee, 14, is seeded 117th in the 100 backstroke. She is the only Potomac Valley participant who is still in middle school.

UPDATE: Curl-Burke’s Katie Ledecky is scratching from the meet due to illness. Ledecky was seeded fifth in the 800 freestyle and tenth in 400 freestyle. Ledecky recently broke the National Age Group record in the 500 free (4 minutes 35.14 seconds) and 1,000 free (9:29.81). In her first high school meet last month, she achieved an Automatic All-American time standard in the 200 freestyle (1:49.67).

Complete list of Potomac Valley swimmers competing:

Ellen Anderson, RMSC (Gaithersburg)

Jack Conger, RMSC (Good Counsel)

Ian Decker, Curl-Burke (Bishop O’Connell)

Ashleigh Ferguson, RMSC (Holy Cross)

Sarah Haase, RMSC (Good Counsel)

Cyrus Hashemi, Curl-Burke (Marshall)

Alli Haufler, Machine Aquatic (Briar Woods)

Janet Hu, Curl-Burke (Oakton)

Carrie Lee, SNOW (14)

Claire McIlmail, RMSC (Urbana)

Abi Speers, Machine Aquatic (Langley)

Curl-Burke will also be represented by non-high school swimmers Hilary Fritz (21) from UNC-Wilmington, Zach Hayden (23), Chuck Katis (18) from Harvard, David Kiss (21) from George Mason, Anna Macedonia (22) from Marymount University, Joe Pascale (28), Mark Sarman (18) from Georgia Tech, Suzanne Schwee (22) from University of Alabama, and Kyle Tyrrell (18). Matt Haupt (31) and Matt Fedderly (25), will also be competing for SNOW. Former SDS swimmer Ashely Danner (21) will be competing for George Mason University.

For the 2011 Winter National Championship psych sheet , click here.

Jan. 28, 1974 - Muhammad Ali, left, and Joe Frazier fight in a 12-round non-title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo)

In the age of the 24/7 news cycle, it’s rare that a match-up lives up the hype generated beforehand.  Yet those two fighters delivered three times in a row. So memorable were the clashes in the 70s, Ali vs. Frazier has become the pervasive metaphor to describe important match-ups in college and professional sports.

This weekend, November 11-13, swim fans will see two such heavyweights going at it in the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center pool at the 2011 Minneapolis Grand Prix, hosted by USA Swimming, as Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps face off in four events, including the 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley.

June 29, 2008 - Michael Phelps competes against Ryan Lochte in the final of the 400m individual medley during the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Their resumes read almost identical. World Champion. Olympian. World record-holder. Gold medalist.

However, as is the case in a sport measured in milliseconds, distinction is found in the details. And here, Phelps reigns supreme.

14 Olympic gold medals to Lochte’s three. 25 World Championships titles to only 11.

But since a 2008 Olympics asterisked by super suits, Lochte has shown the swimming world that hard work and dedication still trumps technology.

At the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, Lochte broke his own world record by one-tenth of a second, set the previous year while wearing a polyurethane suit, becoming the first person to break a world record since the suit ban took effect January 1, 2010.

The rest of the world has been racing to catch him ever since.

July 28, 2011 - Michael Phelps, and teammate, gold medalist Ryan Lochte, hold their medals on the podium during the award ceremony for men's 200m IM at the FINA World Championships (David Gray/Reuters)

This is a new position for Phelps, who has dominated the swimming world for nearly a decade. Lochte might not be the household name that Phelps, but Lochte is a fan favorite amongst many younger swimmers as the reigning “King of Swimming,” a title Phelps is not apt to relinquish so easily.

With the 2012 Olympics less than a year away, each meeting between these two competitors builds towards a showdown in London next July and August. Minneapolis is just one stop on the way.

I, for one, cannot wait.

The 2011 Minneapolis Grand Prix will be webcast on USAswimming.com, on Nov. 11-13. Local favorites Kate Ziegler, Matt McLean, and Ed Moses will also be competing.

Ryan Lochte competes during the men's 400 IM on Sunday at the FINA World Championships, which he won for his fifth gold medal. (Photo: REUTERS/David Gray)

With a final-day haul of four golds, one silver and one bronze, the U.S. team secured the overall and gold-medal counts. A little revelry would have been understandable, especially from Lochte, who concluded these championships as the undisputed star with another runaway gold-medal performance.

Yet Lochte sounded almost despondent as he assessed his week’s work after crushing the competition in the 400-meter individual medley, a race he won by more than four seconds.

“For the most part, I’m not really happy,” said Lochte, who touched the wall in 4 minutes, 7.13 seconds — 3.29 seconds over Phelps’s world record. “I mean, getting five gold medals is definitely great, but the times I’ve went, I know I can go a lot faster. A lot of places in my races I messed up on…. I have a full year to make sure I have those perfect swims.”

Lochte’s performance here looked much better to just about everyone else. He beat Phelps, who won four golds, two silvers and a bronze, in two head-to-head races and won by huge margins in every other event in which he competed. His dominance ignited huge hopes for 2012 Olympics in London, but there were other promising sidebars. The team’s medal total of 29 and 16 golds surpassed its performance at the last world championships in Rome in 2009, when it captured 22 and 10.

“It was great beginning [Saturday] night and it just got greater tonight,” U.S. women’s team coach Jack Bauerle said. Tonight “was just sort of the topper…. This is unbelievably encouraging.”

If the men’s team looked well-armed with the multi-tasking Lochte and Phelps, who have both tried to downplay their growing rivalry, the women’s side displayed impressive depth. The night’s biggest stunner, though, came from China’s Sun Yang, 19, who broke the world record in the men’s 1,500, the only mark that did not fall before speedsuits were banned two years ago. Sun finished in 14:34.14, knocking .42 off of Grant Hackett’s 10-year-old record.

For the United States, Jessica Hardy and Elizabeth Beisel won individual golds in the 50 breast and 400 individual medley, respectively. Rebecca Soni claimed a bronze in the 50 breast to add to her three golds. Two years after winning just two golds at the world championships in Rome, the U.S. women got three from newcomer Missy Franklin, 16, and took home eight.

“The performances were terrific across the board,” Bauerle said.

That was not the case among the men, where Lochte and Phelps all but three of the individual U.S. men’s medals. Tyler Clary won two, including the silver in Sunday’s 400 individual medley.

Lochte, who won golds in the 200 and 400 individual medleys, 200 freestyle, 200 backstroke and 4×200 free relay and a bronze in the 4×100 freestyle, insisted that he hadn’t taken over as “top dog,” but others saw it differently

“He hasn’t just been exceptional this year, he’s been exceptional the last five,” said Clary. “Unfortunately, he’s been hugely overshadowed by what Michael was doing. If Michael hadn’t existed, Ryan would be Michael…. I think here he wasn’t going to let anybody beat him at any cost.”

Phelps got his final gold with a flourish, helping Nick Thoman, Mark Gangloff and Nathan Adrian win the 4×100 medley relay. U.S. men’s coach Eddie Reese admitted he pondered putting Lochte on the backstroke leg even though he didn’t swim in the 100 back at this meet, but worried he would be tired after the 400 medley final. The move nearly backfired; Thoman led off in third place.

By the time Phelps entered the water for the butterfly leg, the Americans had fallen to fourth. Phelps, though, climbed to second with a swim of 50.57 seconds, and Adrian produced a time of 47. 64 on the anchor to overtake Japan’s Shogo Hihara while holding off a late-charging James Magnussen of Australia.

“I’ve been able to gather more motivation here than I already had,” Phelps said. “I think that’s something that will help me get into better shape for next year … Ryan is clearly working hard and clearly in the best shape he’s probably ever been, and that’s why he is where he is.”

What remains to be seen is where everyone will be next year.

“We’ve got people coming,” Reese said. “The Olympic trials, I think it’s going to be the best meet any of us have ever seen.”

shipleya@washpost.com

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