WE ARE READY: (R-L) US swimmers Matt Grevers, Nathan Adrian and Ryan Lochte during a press conference ahead of the start of the swimming competition at the FINA World Championships at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. (AFP)
AFP/Madrid
Swim stars Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte have said Team USA must build on the legacy left by pool legend Michael Phelps with swimming’s world championships to start tomorrow.
Phelps will only be a spectator at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi stadium after the 28-year-old retired last year having won a record 18th career Olympic gold medal at London 2012
In his wake, 18-year-old Franklin will be competing in eight events in Barcelona, having won four golds in London, while Lochte, 28, is scheduled to race in seven events over eight days.
Both have attracted comparisons to Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but they insist their compatriot is incomparable.
“Michael has his own legacy, I don’t think anyone will ever match it,” said Franklin, who will race in the 100m and 200m freestyle, all three backstroke events over 50m, 100m and 200m, plus three relays.
“He has created a path in swimming which is such a bright light and will continue to shine for years and years to come.
“His legacy speaks for itself and we have to try and create our own.”
Having enjoyed titanic battles with Phelps over the years, Lochte, who has won 12 world gold medals dating back to 2005, said he will miss his former rival, but has fresh competition to worry about.
“There is no doubt about it, Phelps is going to go down in history as the best swimmer ever,” said Lochte.
“I wish he could come back, I liked racing against him, it was fun.
“He has made this sport bigger than what it is.
“He was the hardest swimmer I ever had to go up against and we have grown into a really good friendship because of that.
“Am I going miss him? Yes, I always love a challenge and we pushed each other.
“Now that he has gone, I am definitely going to miss him stepping up on the blocks next to me, but it’s just not him I have to worry about.
“There are other people who are working hard to go even faster, I just have to work on myself and go as fast as I can.”
Phelps has repeatedly ruled out a return to the pool and Lochte will be defending the four
world titles he won at the 2011 world championships in Shanghai.
Having taken time away from the pool after winning two golds and two silver medals in London, Lochte said he is unsure how his body will react to racing after he took an extended training break.
Lochte still won the 200m free, 200m back and 200m medley at the US trials and was second in the 100m butterfly, which he will swim for the first time in a major international meet.
Having enjoyed his post-Olympic celebrity with such distractions as a reality TV show about himself, Lochte says these worlds are a stepping stone to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
“It’s been an off year, so I don’t know what is going to happen, I have to just get on the blocks and race tough,” he said.