Lochte Wins Two More Medals to Total Five in London
Friday, August 3, 2012 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Ryan Lochte (U.S.A.) had to swim a tough program on Thursday evening, when he had the 200m backstroke final followed closely by the 200m IM final. Lochte started with the 200m back and finished in third in a time of 1:53.94 to earn a bronze medal.
Three Gators then competed in the women's 200m backstroke semifinal. Elizabeth Beisel (U.S.A.) swam in heat one where she finished first in a personal best time of 2:06.18. In the second heat of the semifinals, former Gator Steph Proud (Great Britain) finished fourth in a time of 2:09.04 and did not advance to the final. Incoming freshman Sinead Russell (Canada) finished third in the heat with a time of 2:08.76 advancing to Friday's final.
A short 31 minutes later after the 200m backstroke final, Lochte was back in the pool for the 200m IM final and won the silver medal in a time of 1:54.90, placing just behind Michael Phelps (1:54.27). The race was the final of the 2012 Olympic Games for Lotche, who won five medals in London: 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze.
The five medals for Lochte increased his career Olympic medal haul to 11, a total that tied him for second all-time with Mark Spitz for the most medals won by a male swimmer.
Lochte's five medals in one Olympic Games tied a Gator record for the most won in a single Olympiad. Dara Torres captured five swimming medals in Sydney in 2000, winning two gold and three bronze medals.
Lochte's silver medal in the 200IM was the 100th Olympic medal won by a Gator letterwinner since the 1968 Games. Overall, Gators have captured 99 in the Summer Games (49 gold, 26 silver, 24 bronze) and one in the Winter Olympic Games (1 gold). Gator track and field letterwinner Steve Mesler captured the gold medal in the bobsled at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
| Gator Letterwinners at the 2012 Olympic Games: Schedule & Results for Thursday, August 2, 2012 | |||||
| Gator | Sport | Country | Time (ET) | Event | Result |
| Swimming | U.S.A. | 6:46 AM | Heats: 200m Backstroke | 1st in heat, 2:07.82, advanced to semifinal | |
| Swimming | Great Britain | 6:46 AM | Heats: 200m Backstroke | 4th in heat, 2:10.01, advanced to semifinal | |
| Swimming | Canada | 6:46 AM | Heats: 200m Backstroke | 3rd in heat, 2:09.04, advanced to semifinal | |
| Swimming | U.S.A. | 2:46 PM | Final: 200m Backstroke | WON BRONZE MEDAL, 1:53.94 | |
| Swimming | U.S.A. | 2:54 PM | Semifinals: 200m Backstroke | 1st in semifinal heat, 2:06.18, advanced to final | |
| Swimming | Great Britain | 2:54 PM | Semifinals: 200m Backstroke | 4th in semifinal heat, 2:09.04, did not advance to final | |
| Swimming | Canada | 2:54 PM | Semifinals: 200m Backstroke | 3rd in semifinal heat, 2:08.76, advanced to final | |
| Swimming | U.S.A. | 3:16 PM | Final: 200m IM | WON SILVER MEDAL, 1:54.90 | |
