Pereira Swims to an Olympic Silver Medal in 400-Meter IM

London Olympics 2012

It may have been the first showdown between Americans Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps at the 2012 Summer Olympics… But when all was said and done in men’s 400-meter individual medley final, Thiago Pereira – not Phelps – was Lochte’s closest competitor…

The 26-year-old Brazilian swimmer won the silver medal after finishing a distant second to Lochte in Saturday’s final at the London Aquatic Center, while Phelps came in a disappointing fourth.

Thiago Pereira

Pereira earned a spot on the podium in part to a stellar performance in the breaststroke portion, which propelled him to move from fifth to second, leaving Phelps, eventual bronze-medalist Kosuke Hagino of Japan and South Africa’s Chad le Clos in his wake.

Lochte, who dominated the race from start to finish, touched the wall in 4:05.18, more than three seconds ahead of Pereira, who clocked in at 4:08.86.

Thiago Pereira

It’s Pereira’s first Olympic medal in his third swimming final. At 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, he reached the final of the 200-meter IM, finishing in fifth place. In the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he again reached the final of the 200-meter IM, finishing fourth.

Leave a Reply