OMAHA -- Ryan Lochte glided over the lane lines, slowly made his way to the water's edge, took one last look at the scoreboard above and then lifted himself out of the water. He was in pain. He hobbled over to a television interview, head down, and tried to process the precarious position he's suddenly found himself in at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
One day after pulling his groin in the breaststroke leg of the 400-meter individual medley, the 31-year-old Lochte finished fifth in the preliminary heats of the men's 200-meter freestyle Monday morning with a time of 1:47.77. After the swim, he said he and his doctors decided against a cortisone shot, leaving him to gut it out try to do whatever it takes to make his fourth Olympic team.
"I can't dwell on it," Lochte said. "It is what it is. It's a constant pain, but I have to try and forget about it the best I can, try to listen to some music or something."
Lochte, the defending Olympic champion in the 400-meter IM, finished third in the finals of the event Monday night, failing to hold on to a lead he built for himself in the first 200 meters. He later said he suffered a similar groin injury a year ago and had to stay off his feet for "several days." One of Lochte's representatives said Monday that the 31-year-old has had recurring groin issues.
Monday's 200 meter freestyle was a big test, as it would seem that the kick of a freestyle swim would potentially irritate that area less than a breaststroke kick. But Lochte said Monday was just as painful. When a reporter suggested his third turn in the 200 free looked like the "Lochte of old," he shoved the idea aside.
"That might have looked like the Ryan Lochte turn, but it didn't feel like it," he said. "I put everything I could into that turn and it didn't feel right. But I made it back for tonight. I have a shot."
The top eight finishers in Monday night's semifinals will qualify for the finals on Tuesday, and those finishing in the top four will earn a spot on the U.S. team. Beyond that, Lochte still has the 100 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly on his schedule.
He said Monday morning that if his groin continues to act up, he will likely get a cortisone shot. For now, he's trying to treat the injury with stretching and massage.
"I feel it right now," Lochte said after the swim. "I'm in pain. But pain is temporary."
In other events, Katie Ledecky cruised into the 400-meter freestyle final, finishing a whopping 0.52 seconds faster than anyone else despite slowing down over the final lap.
"I just had to get those first-swim jitters out of the way," said Ledecky , the world and American record-holder in the event who won her heat in 4 minutes, 2.62 seconds. "I'll just have to manage the energy a little better.
Defending Olympic champion Missy Franklin and two-time gold medalist Natalie Coughlin advanced to the semifinals of the 100 backstroke, which will be held Monday night.
Leading the way was Georgia swimmer Olivia Smoliga in 59.65 seconds. She was one of three women to break 1 minute. Amy Bilquist was second at 59.67, followed by Missouri's Hannah Stevens in 59.72.
"It's a little bit surprising that the first and last of the seeded heats were both sub-1s, which is awesome going into tonight," she said. "But my goal was to win my heat. I did that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.