Lochte should have won the event, but his poor closing speed did him in. (US Presswire)

Ryan Lochte, you are no Michael Phelps.

Lochte, the favorite in the 200-meter backstroke, was out-touched by his American rival and teammate, Tyler Clary, in Thursday's event. Clary touched in an Olympic-record 1:53.41, storming back -- and then ahead -- from Lochte.

It was an incredible finish, a three-way tug in the final 30 meters that seemed too close to call until Clary indisputably got an elbow's length ahead of the famous Lochte.

Lochte's 1:53.94 wasn't even good enough for silver in this event; he took the bronze with that time, beat out by Japan's Ryosuke Irie (1:53.78).

Lochte, swimming in one of his best events, led from start to ... almost finish. Lochte had a .12 advantage at the final turn, but his lack of closing speed -- something that's plagued him at these Games -- turned out to be problematic.

I mean, when we talk about the dominance we expected from Lochte, we talk about golds almost all the way across the board. To this point, Lochte's come up short now in three events. This isn't what we were expecting -- or even promised. This race, once and for all, proves that Lochte could never be the dominant swimmer that Phelps proved he was in 2008.

Lochte had all but a half hour to cool down and prep to swim in a grueling race, another one he was favored in. The 200-meter individual medley. It would be his final head-to-head swim against Phelps, and in the wake of that race we now know who's really, still, the best.