Ryan Lochte earned his sixth gold medal at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, just missing to lower his own world record in the 200-meter individual medley Saturday night. The American's time of 1 minute, 54.43 seconds erased compatriot Michael Phelps' meet record set four years ago. Phelps dropped out of the event to focus on the 400 medley relay later. The time was just off Lochte's world mark of 1:54.10 set at last year's world championships in Rome, where he won wearing a neck-to-ankle polyurethane suit. Those suits were banned starting this year, replaced by textile suits, and no long-course world records had been set since. “I wanted to prove to everyone it wasn't a fluke,” Lochte said. “I knew I had it in my sight. All the swims I had earlier in the week made me a little tired. I was like, ‘Man, if I'd just taken one or two more dolphin kicks I would've had it.”' American Tyler Clary, runner-up to Lochte in the 400 individual medley, finished second in 1:57.61. Thiago Pereira of Brazil was third. Nathan Adrian of the United States completed a sweep of the freestyle sprints, taking out the 50 by narrowly defeating world and Olympic champion Cesar Cielo of Brazil at the wall. Adrian touched in 21.55 seconds, lowering the four-year-old meet record. Cielo, who earned a bronze in the 100 free, was also under the meet mark and finished in 21.57, off his world record of 20.91 set last December. Brent Hayden of Canada, second in the 100 free, was third in 21.89. “It's just a great confidence booster,” said Adrian, the 100 free champion. “There's maybe a little bit of a target on my back and I'll have to work that much harder.” Cielo, who won the 50 butterfly Wednesday, wasn't happy with his results. “My freestyle is not going as well as I expected,” he said. “I probably haven't done well in practice. I've probably missed something during the season. My 100 free wasn't good and today wasn't good. I'm not as fit as I wanted to be here.” Two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan led all the way in winning the 200 breaststroke with the world's fastest time this year. He was timed in 2:08.36 after being under world-record pace on the first lap and a tenth of a second off it after 150 meters. Kitajima won the 100 breast earlier in the meet. “I'm just tired,” Kitajima said in English before switching to Japanese. “I made a very good time for this season so I'm very satisfied.” Brenton Rickard of Australia earned the silver in 2:09.97. American Eric Shanteau took the bronze. Olympic champion Rebecca Soni of the United States briefly threatened the world record in the women's 200 breaststroke before settling for her second individual gold. Soni won in 2:20.69, the sixth-fastest time ever that also lowered the 11-year-old meet record. Leisel Jones of Australia was second in 2:23.23. World recordholder Annamay Pierse of Canada earned the bronze. Emily Seebohm of Australia upset world champion Ariana Kukors to win the women's 200 IM. Seebohm led all the way and touched in 2:09.93. The 18-year-old earned her second gold and third individual medal of the meet. “It was pretty exciting,” Seebohm said. “To go under 2:09, I never thought that would happen so soon. I'm still in shock.” Kukors of the United States finished second in 2:10.25, well off her world mark of 2:06.15 set last year in Rome. “It's my fastest textile suit time,” she said. “Emily just had a phenomenal race.” American Caitlin Leverenz earned her second bronze of the meet. Jessica Hardy of the United States won the women's 50 free in 24.63, bettering her own meet record of 24.75 set in the morning heats. Her teammate Amanda Weir was second in 24.70. Victoria Poon of Canada earned the bronze. Ryan Cochrane of Canada led all the way in winning the 800 freestyle for his second gold. The Olympic bronze medalist was timed in 7:48.71, second-fastest in the world this year. Cochrane also won Canada's only other gold in the 1,500 free. American Chad La Tourette finished second to Cochrane again, having earned silver behind him in the mile.
