Phelps inspires Lochte to take on leadership mantle

By Rob Gilmour KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - Ryan Lochte was spurred on to claim world championship gold in Kazan by a message from Michael Phelps, who encouraged his compatriot to take on more of a leadership role in the United States team. Lochte won his fourth successive men’s 200 metres individual medley world title on Thursday, to surpass the three straight golds won by Phelps in the same event. Until Thursday when their women's 4x200m freestyle relay team also claimed gold, the U.S. were languishing behind Australia and Britain in the medal table with only Katie Ledecky, who won three individual freestyle events, hitting title-winning form. That had prompted Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, to question the U.S. team's performance in Kazan, which started poorly on Sunday when the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay squad failed to reach the final. The following day, the U.S. then failed to secure a podium finish for the first time in a single day at a world championships. Ahead of his appearance at the U.S. nationals in San Antonio, Texas, Phelps, who missed the world championships due to a drink driving conviction last year, told reporters that he had text messaged Lochte and told him “to step up”. He also said: "you’ve got be a leader." “Whenever Michael Phelps says anything to any swimmer you are going to take it to heart because he is the greatest swimmer to have ever lived,” Lochte said after claiming his 16th world title. “He said that you had to be a team leader, put Team USA on your shoulders and carry them through this meet and get them going. I definitely took that to heart. “I am one of the oldest swimmers and he’s right," the 31-year-old added. "I have to be a team leader, whether it’s in or out of the pool, getting them going.” Lochte described Ledecky, who is bidding to win her fourth women’s freestyle title of the championships in the 800m at the weekend, as “phenomenal”. He said: "Every time she steps foot in the water, she is breaking world records it seems. She’s a beast." Lochte hoped the U.S. team would now be “on a roll” on the back of his gold and Ledecky’s haul of titles. Compatriot Tyler Clary had earlier defended the team’s performance. “I’m tired of hearing how the team is doing,” said Clary, who qualified seventh for Friday’s final of the men’s 200m backstroke. “We are all sticking together and in 12 months time no one will care about what’s happening here.” (Editing by Toby Davis)