Michael Phelps was quick to congratulate his rival, Ryan Lochte, for bringing home the United States’ first gold medal of the 2012 Olympic Games for the men’s 400-meter individual medley.

Lochte’s time of 4:05.18 was the second-fastest ever for the 400-meter medley, second only to Phelps’ 4:03.84 time set in the Beijing Games in 2008.

The fourth-place finish leaves 16-Olympic-medal holder Phelps without a medal in an Olympic race for the first time since 2000.

https://twitter.com/PaceErica/status/229338332268732416