Ryan Lochte is an American swimmer, a twelve-time Olympic medalist, the second most titled swimmer in Olympic history after Michael Phelps. He won a total of 90 medals at prestigious international competitions, of which 54 gold, 22 silver and 14 bronze. The athlete participated in the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games and the Pacific Swimming Championship. The following is a biography of Ryan Lochte.
early years
The future famous Olympic champion was born on August 3, 1984 in Rochester. Ryan grew up with his older sisters, Christine and Megan, as well as younger brothers - Devon and Brandon. In Ryan's early childhood, his family lived in Bristol, where he attended Bloomfield Central School. When he was 12 years old, the family moved to Florida.
Stephen Lochte was a swimming coach, and when Ryan was 5 years old, he began to train with his father. Subsequently, he said that he was often expelled from classes for bad behavior. His father recalled that young Ryan in those years spent more time in the shower than in the pool. He began to seriously engage in swimming in high school, when he realized that he wanted to achieve success in sports.
The beginning of a sports career
Ryan Lochte studied at the University of Florida, which he graduated in 2007 with a degree in sports management. A talented young man was part of the university’s swimming team, where he trained under the guidance of Gregg Troy. Lochte played for his university in sports organized by the National University Sports Association and the Southeast Conference. He was recognized as one of the most successful swimmers in the team of all time. The National Council of Swimmers twice called him “Swimmer of the Year”.
Participation in international competitions
At the Olympic Games in Athens, the American team, which included Ryan Lochte, won the championship at a distance of 4 × 200 meters freestyle. At the Indianapolis competition, Lochte continued his successful start and won silver and bronze medals.
2006 for the American athlete was marked by victorious participation in the World Cup in Shanghai. In the competition against the best athletes, he won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals. He managed to set two world records: at a distance of 200 meters in integrated swimming and at 200 meters in swimming on his back.
At the World Championships in Melbourne in 2007, Lochte became the champion in individual competitions at a distance of 200 meters on his back. Then he added three more silver medals to the list of his awards. His achievements at the world level made Americans proud of his compatriot and set him as an example for novice athletes.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics, the American athlete confirmed his high reputation in sports and won gold at a distance of 200 meters on his back, having managed to set a world record. The following year, at competitions in Rome, the US team won gold at a distance of 4x100 meters freestyle. In individual competitions, Ryan Lochte won four gold medals.
According to the results of the 2010 and 2011 competitions, he was recognized as the best swimmer in the world. The previous four years, this title was worn by Michael Phelps. The further career of the athlete was no less successful. At all international competitions, he confirmed his status as one of the best swimmers in the history of sports and continued to earn medals in the piggy bank of his awards.
The difficult period in the career of Lochte came in 2016. During the Olympic Games in Brazil, the athlete took part in the scandal and was forced to miss the World Cup due to a 10-month suspension. In 2018, Lochte was accused of doping. He pleaded guilty and was disqualified for a period until July 24, 2019.
Personal life
In the summer of 2016, Lochte began dating model Kayla Ray Reid. On June 8, 2017, Ryan Lochte and his girlfriend had a son, Kayden, Zane Lochte. The lovers officially registered their marriage in January 2018, and on September 9, a wedding ceremony was held, to which relatives and friends of the newlyweds were invited. Wedding photos of Ryan Lochte and Kayla Ray Reed without any particular prejudice are calmly posted on social networks.
In marriage, the athlete found his happiness, and now he is making big plans for 2019. Then the period of his disqualification will expire, and he will be able to triumphantly return to big sport.