A VOICE FOR THE SPORT

FINAL HURRAH FOR RYAN LOCHTE?

BY JOHN LOHN

How will Ryan Lochte be remembered? It is a six-word question without a simple response, but the answers are coming soon. At this month’s United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Lochte will chase his fifth berth to the Olympic Games, his first of four consecutive appearances made at the 2004 Games in Athens.

As a 36-year-old, Lochte will race at the CHI Health Center in what is almost surely his last Trials. In a fairytale world, he will earn one more trip to the Olympics, the 200 meter individual medley his best opportunity to again represent Team USA in international waters. In what is a highly realistic outcome, Lochte will fall short, Father Time remaining undefeated as a younger generation of American talent ushers in a changing of the guard.

Whether or not Lochte qualifies for the Tokyo Games, this much is true: In the coming years, he will be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. But when his name surfaces, what will first come to mind? Will the discussion focus on the double-digit Olympic medals he has collected? Or will the focus relate to the multiple pitfalls that have beset Lochte throughout his career?

From a purely athletic standpoint, Lochte is a legend. With 12 Olympic medals to his name, he is tied with Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin as the secondmost decorated swimmers in history. He is an individual Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke and 400 individual medley. He is a world record holder. He has been a longtime cog during the United States’ global dominance in the 800 freestyle relay.

Unfortunately, Lochte has often overshadowed his in-water excellence with poor decisions on dry land. Early in his career, his free-spirited nature could be entertaining, most evident in his decision to wear Grillz on his teeth on various international podiums. If that choice was funny to some, others viewed Lochte as a goofball.

A decorative dental piece, though, hardly triggers the radar compared to other choices. When Lochte became embroiled in controversy at the 2016 Olympic Games, he brought embarrassment upon himself and Team USA. In Rio, Lochte and three teammates followed a night of partying by urinating outside at a gas station. Ultimately, the foursome was confronted by security guards, and the next day, Lochte told a tale of being held up and robbed at gun point. The aftermath of the incident was a 10-month suspension by USA Swimming and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Then, in 2018, Lochte was suspended for 14 months by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after he received an intravenous infusion. Although the IV infusion, which Lochte posted to social media, was of a permitted substance, it violated anti-doping rules since Lochte did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

The truth is, Lochte has been his own enemy, poor decisions dotting his career. While he knows he has not helped himself, Lochte has also worked hard to do the right thing in recent years and has dedicated himself to being a husband and doting father to his two children. He deeply wants people to see him in a brighter light.

“There’s a lot of people out there that have a different perception of who I really am,” he said. “I want to set the record straight, and I want people to see how I’ve grown up, how I’ve matured and the person I am today.”

In Omaha, which is serving as the Olympic Trials host for the fourth straight time, Lochte will be among the most-watched athletes. He is also a guy worth supporting. Sure, he has made his share of mistakes. But his talent is too spectacular to forget, and, over the years, he has meant a great deal to USA Swimming. At a time when Michael Phelps seemed unbeatable, Lochte showed otherwise, and proved the bar can be raised through a combination of belief and hard work.

So, as Ryan Lochte heads to the Olympic Trials in search of another Olympic odyssey, get behind the Team USA veteran. It would be nice to see a final hurrah.v

John Lohn

Associate Editor-in-Chief Swimming World Magazine

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