The 2012 Olympics, Day 1: Phelps Loses First Swimming Final, China Wins for Shooting
Categories: John Surico, London 2012 Olympics
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But, after last night's eccentric and kind of uncomfortable opening ceremony, the quadrennial spectacle started off today with a bang. And what an unfortunate bang it was.
This afternoon, rival American water-goer Ryan Lochte came in first in the 400-meter swimming individual medley, winning the gold medal while Michael Phelps fell in flat fourth place. The underdog's time was 4:05:18 while the former champ's was 4:09:28.
Phelps, the demigod of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, set the record four years ago with a 4:03:94 clock-in time on the 200-meter race. Looks like the roles changed in a bit: in that race, Lochte came in third. Since then, Lochte has been building some momentum with two world championship wins in 2009 and 2011. He also beat Phelps in the trials for this Olympics with a record time as well.
The two will go head-to-head one more time this Wednesday in the 200-meter - a race that Phelps has proved to be his forte. In other words, we've got some good ol' American boys in a race to the end coming up.
In other sports-related news, China won the first Olympic gold medal of the day: with a victory in the 10-meter air rifle competition, Yi Siling took him the award to the People's Republic as the first qualifier to the Games as well. Who said America is the only country that loves her guns?
God, we love (hate) the Olympics.
[jsurico15@gmail.com/@JSuricz]
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