Post date: Jul 29, 2012 12:4:32 AM
LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JULY 28, 2012)(REUTERS) - To the astonishment of fans, American swimmer Ryan Lochte made the biggest splash of the London Games so far on Saturday (July 28) by obliterating his compatriot Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer in Olympic history, in the first of their eagerly awaited duels.
US fans left open-mouthed as Ryan Lochte leaves Michael Phelps floundering in pool duel.
Phelps, unthinkably, finished without a medal in the 400 metres individual medley, to the amazement of those watching, torn between celebrating a US win with Lochte, and the shock of watching Phelps not even make it onto the podium.
"I was surprised that Michael Phelps didn't medal., honestly. We were hoping I think Ryan would win, because I think he's a little bit of the underdog," said Jessica Brandt from Tucson, Arizona who watched the race with her husband Martin and two children.
Swimming fan Vance Hawk from Colorado said he was surprised but confident Phelps would bounce back.
"I mean Ryan Lochte is a good swimmer as we all know, but Michael Phelps is a good swimmer too, and to not even place is pretty surprising for American fans, especially here," he said as he left the park.
Katie Berry from Chicago said she was still happy to see an American on the top of the podium.
"I am very shocked, usually you think Phelps was a guarantee at least to medal if not first, but at least USA won, so that was good, just not the one we thought," she said.
Phelps is bidding in London to become the most prolific Olympic medal winner in history, but may be yielding the position of world's best swimmer to Lochte after coming only fourth in the 400m individual medley, where Phelps set the current world record in 2008.
Having scraped into the final by 0.07 seconds, Phelps looked way off the pace as Lochte's silky power brought him home with time to spare.
Phelps missed out on a medal at the Olympics for the first time since he was a 15-year-old at Sydney in 2000.