Olympics 2012: Power deserts Phelps as he misses a medal

There are few sights more poignant than the crushing of a great champion.

The beating handed out by Ryan Lochte in the 400 metre individual medley here established him as the new king of the waters and forced Michael Phelps to the margins where there are no medals.

To see Phelps traipse in fourth in an Olympic final was shocking. But to dwell on that too long would detract from a stunningly authoritative performance by Lochte. The rematch and decider is in the 200m individual medley. On this evidence Phelps will creep into that contest fearing another hiding.

Until he dropped the junk food and the frat house antics, Lochte was cursed with what you might call Andy Murray syndrome.

He was a very good swimmer toiling in the shadow of a great one.

But then Phelps regressed, Lochte's career took off, and men's swimming was blessed with a rivalry to sell to the world.

Phelps is the greatest swimmer in history, But as Sports Illustrated asked in their Olympic preview issue: is he the best NOW?

They have their answer, for now at least.

Phelps's mission is to become the most prolific medal winner in Olympic history but his power deserted him in a discipline where he struggled with his backstroke and breaststroke legs.

The two race end-game between these two brilliant amphibians concludes in the 200m individual medley, by which time their respective standings should be definitively known. For Phelps there has long been a risk that his illustriousness will be downgraded under assault from Lochte, a more personable and groovy type who has featured on the cover of Vogue and is a dedicated follower of fashion.

Phelps was bidding to become the first male swimmer to win an individual event at three consecutive Games. But he had not tackled the discipline since the Beijing Olympics four years ago and nearly missed the final here, falling within 0.07 secs of being eliminated in the morning heats and clocking the eighth fastest time. He swam in lane eight for the first time at an Olympic Games.

Ian Thorpe, who won five Olympic golds, had said of the heats: "That was a surprise. Phelps seemed to back out on the backstroke, and he had a bad touch at the end. There is no doubt 0.07 secs is cutting it too fine."

This scare only added to the intrigue around arguably the best head-to-head at these Olympics. It spoke of a new vulnerability in Usain Bolt's only serious rival to the title of No 1 star in Beijing.

After China, his appetite waned. He entered that athletic shadowland where letting go is too hard to do and carrying on requires sacrifices the champion is no longer willing to make. When an American hero reaches this juncture, he tends to go to Las Vegas to think - or to escape thought altogether.

His trance was broken by two defeats to Lochte in the world championships in Shanghai. The competitive urges were reawakened. Lochte upped the stakes by calling London "my time, adding: "Everyone says that if he [Phelps] wasn't around or if this were a different era, I'd be the greatest swimmer ever."

From 2002, Lochte lost to Phelps 17 straight times in the 200 individual medley but finally beat him at 2012 US Nationals. The statistics defy belief.

Phelps, 27, won eight golds in Beijing in a schedule too brutal to repeat in London. He has won 16 Olympics medals, only two fewer than the Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. He has set 29 individual world records and won 61 world and Olympic titles.

In Beijing, Phelps beat Lochte in the 200m and 400 individual medleys and Lochte won the 200m backstroke, which his old foe did not contest.

In Shanghai, Lochte scored two direct hits against the god of the sport and Phelps reflected: "He was just rolling over me, and it wasn't good to be on that end."

Coming into this showdown. Lochte was in possession of 17 world and six Olympic medals. Make that seven now.

No longer inclined to toss beer kegs or drag heavy chains in Strongman routines, Lochte is now calmer and more ruthless.

His father Steve told Sports Illustrated: "He's not on a skateboard, he's not shooting hoops, not cracking his ankle chasing his dog or falling out of trees like in the past.

"He's a totally different person, a more mature and seasoned athlete."

He was right. London is "his time."

Brazil's Thiago Pereira was 3.68 secs back in second and Phelps was 4.10 secs behind the winner. Normally they beat each other by fractions.

Shame there were so many empty seats here - a disgrace. More swimming fans should have been here to see this transfer of power, which was emphatic, and faintly sad.