RYAN LOCHTE’S bid to make a fifth Olympic team ended in an emotional 200m medley defeat at the US trials on Friday, almost certainly bringing down the curtain on the 36-year-old’s Games career.
“I still want to race,” Lochte said. “As far as another Olympic trials, I don’t know about that. I’ll be 40 — that would be pushing it.”
Lochte has won 12 medals, six of them gold, in four prior Olympics, making him the second-most decorated male swimmer in Olympic history after longtime teammate and rival Michael Phelps.
He won silver in the 200m medley in London in 2012 and was fifth in 2016 in Rio, where his Games ended amid scandal after a drunken late-night episode after which he was found to have fabricated a story about a robbery.
Sponsors fled and Lochte was suspended for 10 months, a punishment that was followed by a 14-month ban for receiving a banned intravenous infusion of vitamins in May 2018.
It was that year Lochte sought treatment for alcohol abuse, deciding that his life “needed a change.”
“I think this is probably the most important swim meet that I ever had in my career,” Lochte said. “I wanted to prove so much to everyone.
“I just want to make everyone happy, I guess, and prove to everyone I have changed. I’m a different person. My life has definitely changed.”
Lochte, whose 200m medley record of 1:54.00 set at the 2011 World Championships still stands, clocked 1:59.67 on Friday to finish seventh in a race won by 22-year-old Michael Andrew in 1:55.44.
As he climbed out of the pool a dejected Lochte was embraced by Andrew and runner-up Chase Kalisz.
Then there were hugs for Lochte’s wife, Kayla, who was poolside with their 4-year-old son Caiden and 2-year-old daughter Liv.
Phelps made his way down from the stands for another consolatory embrace.
“Very emotional,” Lochte said. “I was kind of taking it all in. I really wanted to be on that Olympic team.”
- Good heart -
Sometimes a thorn in the side of authority, the fun-loving Lochte commanded a legion of fans attracted not only by his prowess in the pool but also by his forays into reality television.
“Deep down he really has a good heart,” backstroker Ryan Murphy said. “That’s what I really appreciate about Lochte, he really does care about people.
“He’s done so much for our sport and we will miss him on this team.”
Andrew was grateful that Lochte, still hurting, found words of encouragement for him after the race.
“I think what was amazing is after the end of the race, being able to embrace with Ryan and for him to tell me he’s passing the torch to me, he’s saying “OK, you’re the guy, go and do this, go and kick some butt.
“It’s a special moment that I will remember forever.”
Lochte said those kinds of connections are what he values most in his career.
“One thing about swimming that I love is you’re a family. Anthony Ervin, Michael Phelps, Cullen Jones, all those guys, they’re like my brothers.
“Being in a generation with them, in that era, means everything.”
Not that Lochte plans to go far from the sport, even when he does hang up his suit for good.
“This is not the last you’re going to see of me,” he said.
Can’t even comment… It was. Just so poor…
Poor yea , conditions didn’t help ! Your clubmate had a good game in the centre
Thought him everything he knows skippy… Didn’t teach him everything I know tho :-)
Good win on the road for Clare today.It was a difficult one without a number of key players, conditions and with wexford beaten by so much last wk end they were always going to be difficult to beat in wexford.
Whatever about conditions, first touch very poor both sides. Only positive for clare is they have players to come back.
So do Wexford…
But they don’t have a hurler of the year to come back along with podge Collins
As a wexford man,beginning to really get fed up when we can’t beat a top level team.apart from Clare two years ago,Waterford Limerick cork have all come to wexford park in a do or die match and we are coming out on the wrong side of them
How come wexford can’t seem to beat a so called top level team?apart from Clare in 2014,waterford cork and limerick have all travelled to wexford park and came out on top in so called do or die matches.
Maybe because they’re not good enough to do so eh?.. Just a thought….
How come wexford are struggling to beat any sort of top level team.we beat Clare in 2014 when they were all ireland champions but since then waterford limerick and cork have all travelled to their own backyard in so called do or die matches and have failed every time.
Wexford just haven’t got lads up to the standard. Tis alright winning at under 21 Leinster and getting to the All Ireland final, it takes three to four years to blossom into senior, and the Limerick team of the early 2000′s shows that may not even happen either.