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OMAHA, Neb. -- After his semifinal heat in the 200-meter individual medley Thursday night, Michael Phelps stood on the pool deck with his arms folded and his eyes bouncing back and forth between the pool and the scoreboard. His focus centered on one man, swimming in the heat after him. It was a familiar face, the same one hes had his eyes on for the past 12 years: Ryan Lochte.At the Olympic trials back in 2004, Phelps began his dominance over Lochte in the 200 IM, winning his first of three straight medals in the event. Lochte finished second each time. Phelps then backed up his trials victories with three consecutive Olympic golds. Lochte settled for two silvers and a bronze. Yet Lochte holds the world record from the world championships in 2011.Why does any of this matter? On Friday night, when Phelps and Lochte go at it in the event for the fourth and final time at the trials, it will mark the unquestioned end of an era. Phelps, who turned 31 on Thursday, already has announced his retirement after the Rio Games, insisting there will be no comeback as there was after London. And the 32-year-old Lochte has battled a groin injury at these trials, prompting questions about his own career longevity. Lochte has yet to make the 2016 Olympic team in an individual event, but he has qualified for the 200-meter freestyle relay.Theirs is a rivalry born not out of bad blood, but rather ultimate respect. Two of the greatest male swimmers of all time, pushing one another for more than a decade.I think its one of the greatest rivalries in sports, me and him, Lochte said Thursday night. From what weve both done in the sport of swimming. Its fun racing him -- hes the toughest competitor out there.Even their times during Thursday nights semifinals, in which they swam in separate heats, were eerily similar. Phelps 1:57.61. Lochte 1:56.71.He and I have gone back and forth a number of times in this race, Phelps said. During the big meets, we have great races and are right there with each other. [Friday] night, well both be in the middle of the pool.After prelims Thursday morning, Lochte said he tried to alter his breaststroke kick to accommodate a groin pull he suffered during that leg of the 400 IM. It didnt work, with the pain returning on his first breaststroke kick. I was like, dammit, he said. After Thursday nights semifinal race, he said he felt better after taking some ibuprofen in the afternoon.It was easier than this morning, Lochte said. First part of the breaststroke felt good, and then halfway through it started hurting more and more to the last couple strokes. But I was able to put it together.Phelps doesnt believe the injury will be an issue for Lochte on Friday night.Even if he is hurt, hes not going to let anything be an excuse, he said.Lochtes prelim time of 1:58.05 was almost a second faster than Phelps 1:58.95. But Friday nights swim is what matters. Both swimmers acknowledge that they shut it down early toward the end of their semifinal heats. That surely wont happen Friday night.Im sure were gonna be out and step on the gas a little more than we have, Phelps said.Phelps qualified for the U.S. team with his victory in the 200-meter butterfly Wednesday night. Rio will be his fifth straight Olympics -- a record for a U.S. male swimmer. He said he struggled to sleep Wednesday night, waking up at 5 a.m. and texting his coach, Bob Bowman. Bowman told him to go back to sleep. Between Thursdays sessions, Phelps spent most of his birthday watching the European soccer championships. Family and friends planned to celebrate with him Thursday night in a private room his mom Debbie had rented.When asked if he planned to attend the festivities, Lochte chuckled.I dont think so, he said. Ill be in bed.Hell need the rest if he finally wants to beat his rival in the 200 IM at the trials. Their dominance of this race for the past 12 years is unparalleled. The list of the top 10 performances in the history of the race is filled with only two names: Lochte and Phelps. Each has five spots on the list, with Lochte occupying spots No. 1 and No. 2. They have not raced against each other in the 200 IM at a major international meet since the London 2012 Games. Phelps won that battle in a time of 1:54.27, beating Lochte by 0.63 seconds.Last summer at the world championships in Russia, Lochte won gold with a time of 1:55.88. Phelps did not compete in Russia as part of his punishment from USA Swimming after his September 2014 DUI arrest.Motivated in part by his frustration over that decision, Phelps responded by swimming the event in the fastest time in the world last year (1:54.75) at the U.S. Nationals in San Antonio. It was the eighth-fastest time ever.Both swimmers have scratched their participation from other events to focus on this one. Phelps removed himself from competing in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle competitions to focus on the 100- and 200-meter fly and 200 IM. Lochte scratched the 200-meter backstroke Thursday morning to focus on the 200 IM.I did whats best for me, Lochte said.Both swimmers are still scheduled to compete in preliminaries of the 100-meter butterfly on Friday morning. The top 16 finishers advance to the semifinals Friday night. That race will take place after the final of the 200 IM, the event that has mattered so much to both of these men for so long.[Friday] night is going to be a good battle, Lochte said. Any chance I can get up on those blocks and race him is definitely an honor. cheap nfl jerseys china . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. wholesale nfl jerseys . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . http://www.nfljerseyscheapfromchina.cc/ . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. cheap jerseys from china . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Wholesale jerseys . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard.Camilo Villegas narrowly missed out on the Riviera course record on his way to opening up a three-shot lead after the opening round of the Northern Trust Open. Latest leaderboard Northern Trust Open The Colombian almost holed his chip shot at the last which would have seen him match Ted Trybas record of 61, but instead a two-putt bogey saw Villegas close a birdie-filled 63 to leave him three clear of the chasing pack.At eight under, Villegas is four strokes ahead of Rory McIlroy, who is making his first PGA Tour start of the season, while world No 1 Jordan Spieth sits 16 strokes off the pace after posting a career-worst opening round. Things were going good there, Villegas told reporters. Obviously the rain yesterday made the golf course a lot more accessible. Villegas almost finished in with five consecutive birdies It was pretty stress-free today. I hit the ball good and kept it in play. I didnt put myself in tough positions on a golf course where you can put yourself in tough positions, and here we are with a nice little 63 to get started.After following four birdies on the back nine with a kick-in gain at the first to move alongside morning clubhouse leaders Chez Reavie, Luke List and Bubba Watson, Villegas drained a 25-footer at the fifth to take the outright advantage. Villegas got within five feet of the sixth flag off the tee to pick up another shot, before further birdies over the next two holes temporarily gave the four-time PGA Tour winner a four-stroke advantage.Having almost pitched-in from the rough for a fifth bbirdie in a row at the last, Villegas carded his only blemish of the day after missing his par-save putt from seven feet.dddddddddddd#160; Rory McIlroy mixed five birdies with a bogey during the opening round Watson, who won at Riviera two years ago with a 64-64 weekend, opened with a five-under 66 to match early pacesetter Reavie and List, whose bogey-free start was the best of his PGA Tour career.Back-to-back birdies on his opening two holes made McIlroy one of seven players in the clubhouse on four under, with South Africas Tyrone Van Aswegen also in that group with two holes to complete when play was suspended for the day due to fading light. Justin Rose is part of the group six adrift of the lead, while only Steven Bowditch is below Spieth at the bottom of the leaderboard after the world No 1 posted an uncharacteristic eight-over 79. Jordan Spieths opening round was his worst since the 2014 Tour Championship Id say from six inwards I probably let a couple of shots go, Rose told Sky Sports. It wasnt playing too tough out there and was pretty soft so Id like to have had one or two more, but 69 is a good start.Watch the Northern Trust Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Or watch from £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. Also See: McIlroy makes early progress Northern Trust leaderboard WATCH: Rivieras rich history Golf live on Sky Sports 4 ' ' '