IRVINE —Michael Phelps departed the US Swimming Championships without a title after a runner-up finish to Ryan Lochte in the 200m medley Sunday, but with renewed resolve to return to the pinnacle of the sport. The top two swimmers in the history of the event shrugged off indifferent results earlier in the meet to deliver an exciting battle, Lochte charging to a wire-to-wire victory in 1min 56.50sec, second-fastest time in the world this year. Phelps, whose 18 Olympic gold medals include three 200m medley triumphs, came on strong on the closing freestyle leg, but settled for second in the year's third-best time of 1:56.55. Only Japan's Kosuke Hagino has gone faster this year, with a time of 1:55.38. The three could meet in less than a fortnight at the Pan Pacific Championships in Gold Coast, Australia, although Phelps and Lochte have yet to confirm their program for that meet. Just getting to PanPacs was a priority for Phelps, who returned to competition in April after a retirement that lasted nearly two years. Lochte, who long swam in the shadow of Phelps but who counts an impressive five gold among his 11 Olympic medals, has endured a difficult year of his own, missing training time after tearing a ligament in his knee. Lochte had come up short in his previous races here, finishing second in the 100m free, third in the 100m backstroke and fifth in the 100 fly. Now they'll hope a few more days' training will have them swimming faster at the PanPacs, the Aug. 21-25 meet featuring Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Japan and Brazil. Results from the meet will determine the US team for the 2015 world championships in Russia. Twelve-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin won't be making the trip after finishing sixth in the 50m freestyle, won by 18-year-old Simone Manuel in 24.56sec. Ivy Martin was second in 24.72 and Madeline Locus third in 24.81. Anthony Ervin, a 50m free Olympic gold medalist back in 2000, surprised Nathan Adrian in the men's 50m free, winning in a blazing 21.55sec. Adrian, the reigning Olympic 100m free champion, was second in 21.69 and Olympic silver medalist Cullen Jones was third in 21.83. In other events Sunday, Melanie Margalis won the women's 200m individual medley with a time of 2:10.20, third-fastest in the world this year. Katy Campbell overtook early leader Danielle Valley to win the women's 1,500m freestyle in 16:17.59 and Michael McBroom won the men's 800m free in 7:49.66. Phelps makes team Phelps overcame the first hurdle to a potential return to Olympic competition in 2016 when he was named along with exciting teenagers Katie Ledecky and Missy Franklin on the US team for the Pan Pacific Championships Sunday. Phelps' qualification for the Aug. 21-24 championships on Australia's Gold Coast has also earned the winner of 18 Olympic gold medals a ticket to next year's world championships in Kazan, Russia. His fellow Olympic champions Allison Schmitt, Natalie Coughlin and Katie Hoff, however, failed to make the team for the Pan Pacific championships in Australia. The trio failed to make the top three in any of their individual events at the US National Championships and were not included in the 60-strong squad that also earned selection for next year's world championships. The men's team will also include Olympic gold medalists Nathan Adrian, Tyler Clary, Matt Grevers and 2000 Olympic champion Anthony Ervin. — Agencies
