OKLAHOMA CITY, July 28, 2012 — United States swimmer Michael Phelps can be called a lot of a things. He has been called Aquaman, the greatest swimmer in the world and 14 time Olympic gold medalist. After the his first event final in the XXX Summer Olympiad in London, he can now be called 4th place finisher, thanks to his disappointing finish in the the 400-meter Individual Final.
Coming into the games, many fans had questioned Phelps’ commitment and desire to do as well this time around. In interviews, he just seemed disinterested and cavalier about his possible success in 2012.
His biggest competitor American Ryan Lochte had defeated him in meets leading up to this summer’s Olympic games. Saturday was the first of the much anticipated duel between the two swimmers and Lochte won by more than three seconds. Phelps didn’t even medal, coming in 4th.
Phelps almost didn’t get the chance to come in 4th. He barely qualified earlier in the day getting the 8th seed for the final.
Lochte won the Gold in 4:05.18 minutes, Brazil’s Thiago Pereira took the Silver in 4:08.86 and Japan’s Kosuke Hagino won the Bronze in 4:08.94.
This is the first time since the 2000 games in Australia that Phelps competed in a final in the Olympics and didn’t medal.
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