IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Michael Phelps will swim the 400-meter individual medley at this week’s Pan Pacific championships for the first time since the 2008 Olympics.
Phelps dropped the grueling event after winning a gold medal and setting the world record at the Beijing Games.
That opened the door for U.S. teammate Ryan Lochte to move up in the event. Lochte won the race featuring all four strokes at last year’s world championships, where he also won the 200 IM. But he didn’t touch Phelps’ world record of 4 minutes, 3.84 seconds in the longer race.
Phelps, Lochte and Tyler Clary are the top Americans entered in the 400 IM on Thursday at the Pan Pacs, the year’s only major international swimming meet.
