Lochte took the lead on the breaststroke leg of the four-stroke event and held off Phelps in the closing freestyle to win in four minutes 7.06 seconds Monday. Phelps was second in 4:07.89, securing an Olympic berth. Tyler Clary, runner-up of the event at Shanghai worlds last year behind Lochte, was the odd man out, finishing third in 4:09.92. Only the top two finishes in each event in the eight-day meet make the Olympic team.

Ryan Lochte at the US Olympic trials on Monday. Pics/AFP