体坛英语新闻：Ryan Lochte wins two gold in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- American Ryan Lochte won on Friday two gold medals to total his medals to 23 at the World Championships in Barcelona, and finished first in 100 meters butterfly semifinals.

The door was open for every swimmer to have success in men's 100 meters butterfly after Michael Phelps' retirement. The American won the last three world championships in the event and holds the world record of 49.82.

Lochte was the fastest on Friday semifinals, despite he was sixth according to the world rankings with a time of 51.71, after Germany's Steffen Deibler coming first with a time of 51.19.

"I missed Michael", Lochte told reporters, "he is the toughest competitor I have ever had and I love challenge."

Lochte improved his performance on Friday by clocking 51.48, followed by South Africa's Chad Le Clos and Poland's Konrad Czerniak who clocked 51.52 and 51.55 respectively.

Meanwhile, Lochte won gold medal in men's 200 meters backstroke final clocking 1:53.79, which was the best performance of the year. This allowed him to win his 22nd medal at the Worlds.

He was followed by Poland's Radoslaw Kawecki, who set a new European record, and Lochte's compatriot Tyler Clary, gold medalist in London, who was the fastest in the semifinals.

Lochte, gold medalist of 200 meters individual medley in Barcelona, won nine times this event at the Worlds, seven of them consecutively.

As a part of the US team he also won gold medal in 4x200 meters freestyle relay on Friday by clocking 7:01.72, followed by Russia' s team who clocked 7:03.92 and China who finished the race in 7:04. 74.

The US won this event in the last four World Championships and at the last three Olympic Games, while being on the podium in each of the last six editions. This is the fifth gold for Lochte in this discipline and 23rd since 2005.

"I have no idea how many medals I have won in Worlds, but I love swimming and racing, and winner or lose, I still want to race and swim", he commented.

Lochte swam three races tonight.

"My entire body is hurting", he told reporters, but added "I am glad I was able to overcome the triple tonight".

"It was a challenge. I was able to overcome it, it gives me a lot of confidence."

Lochte made his debut at the 2004 Athens Olympics and he also participated in the 2008 Beijing and the 2012 London. He has a total of 11 Olympic medals, including five gold, three silver and three bronze.