IRVINE, Calif. (AP) – Nathan Adrian led all the way to win the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships, with Michael Phelps finishing next-to-last in a star-studded field.
Adrian touched in 48.31 seconds on Wednesday night, winning the event for the sixth time in seven years. Ryan Lochte was second in 48.96 swimming in the far outside lane. Jimmy Feigen finished third in 48.98.
Phelps was last at the turn and straggled home in 49.17, beating only Seth Stubblefield. It was Phelps’ worst showing since launching a comeback in April. He is focused on shorter and fewer events than what he did in winning 18 Olympic gold medals.
Conor Dwyer took fourth, joining the top three on the U.S. team for the Pan Pacific championships later this month in Australia.
“That group of eight guys is much faster than what we showed,” Adrian said.