Having surpassed Michael Phelps as the top all-around swimmer this year, Ryan Lochte hopes to punctuate the fact with a Phelpsian performance this week.

Lochte wants to swim eight events over five days at the short-course world championships beginning today. If he wins them all, he’ll match the record eight golds Phelps won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“I think that’s what he has in his mind,” said US men’s head coach Jon Urbanchek, adding that the laid-back Lochte “is capable” of pulling off the feat.

His chances are a little easier in the absence of his top challenger in most events, Phelps.

Lochte is listed to swim five individual events — the 100-, 200- and 400-metre individual medleys, plus the 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke. He’ll also take part in the 400 and 800 free relays. The only question in his programme is whether he’ll race the 400 medley relay.

“If they put me in it I’ll do it, but as far as I know I’m not,” Lochte said. “I wouldn’t mind doing it all. I wouldn’t mind more racing. But it’s the coaches’ call.”

Urbanchek indicated that Lochte will likely get the nod for the medley relay after Aaron Peirsol pulled out of the competition, allowing Lochte to swim the backstroke leg.

Lochte may be hot, but he’ll also probably be exhausted come Sunday.

Phelps won his eight golds over nine days in Beijing, while this meet is condensed into just five days.

Catania to host 2014 short-course worlds The Sicilian city of Catania will host the 2014 short-course swimming world championships.

The Italian bid was the only candidacy officially presented to swimming governing body FINA at meetings ahead of this year’s short-course worlds, which open in Dubai today.

Cancun, Mexico, had also expressed interest, but did not make a presentation.

The next short-course worlds are scheduled for Istanbul, Turkey, in December, 2012.

The 2014 worlds will also be held in December and will mark a return to Italy for FINA after last year’s long-course worlds in Rome.