Peirsol remains on top, beats Phelps in 100 back

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 100-meter backstroke still belongs to Aaron Peirsol.

The former Newport Harbor High swim star showed just that to Michael Phelps, who did not win in a championship race for the first time in a year. That was because of Peirsol, who won the 100 back at the Charlotte UltraSwim Saturday.

Peirsol, the world-record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 100 back, edged Phelps with a strong finish, touching the wall at 53.32 seconds. Phelps, in his first meet since winning a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, finished second in 53.79. Peirsol, swimming for Longhorn Aquatics, and Phelps, representing North Baltimore Aquatic Club, both beat Ryan Lochte’s meet record of 54.00. Lochte finished fourth in 54.76 behind North Baltimore’s Nick Thoman (55.13).

Though Peirsol finished strong, he did not come close to his world-record time of 52.54. But it was enough to beat out Phelps, who had not dropped a final since May 17 of last year when he lost to Peirsol in the 200 back at Santa Clara.

“I definitely wanted to win that,” Piersol told the Associated Press. “With Mike, I figured he was going to do something big. He’s always up for it. I have to have the same intensity. I’m confident in that race. I have a little more experience.

“It’s one of the last frontiers for him. Mike is one of the only guys who has pushed me and shown me how much I can improve. Right now there is probably a little Japanese kid out there who is going to push both of us.”

Phelps, meanwhile, found some motivation in the loss. He had trained for the 100 back for the past eight months.

“It’s going to come back with me. I don’t like to lose,” Phelps told the AP. “No matter who I’m racing, I hate to lose.”

— From staff reports