Not so jeah. Ryan Lochte failed to snag a spot in a 400-meter individual medley swimming trial for the 2016 Olympic Games, USA Today reports.
Lochte, 31, placed third during the 400 IM race in Omaha, Nebraska, on Sunday, June 26. (He previously took home gold in the event at the 2012 games in London.) His teammates Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland claimed the top two spots.
“I did everything I could in that race. It just wasn’t enough,” Lochte said Sunday. “Here’s the good news: I don’t ever have to swim the 400 IM again. That was it — never again.”
When asked about his “advanced age” by a reporter, Lochte replied: “[I’m] seasoned.”
Michael Phelps’ coach, however, suggested that age could have been a factor in the loss. “It’s a tough event when you’re older,” Bob Bowman said, via ESPN. “You look at someone like Ryan or Michael, they’ve been doing this for 20 years and probably at a superhigh level for 15 years, and there’s only so long you can sustain that kind of work.” (Phelps, 30, has won 18 gold medals. He announced in 2012 that he was retiring, but is trying to make a comeback in Rio.)
According to USA Today, Lochte pulled his groin during a breaststroke race earlier in the day. “There were a lot of things going on that were complications. If I had to do it all over again, I would have pulled him [from the final] after his warm-up when we were trying to adjust the stroke, and we could never get it very fast,” David Marsh, Lochte’s coach, said after the race. “He’ll be dealing with some level of pain management throughout the meet. He was walking fine after the race, so that’s good to see.”
Marsh added, “He has a tolerance for pain unlike most people.”
Lochte may not be able to compete in the 400 IM, but there are more chances for him to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro games. He will next compete in the 200 IM, the 200 backstroke, and the 100 and 200 freestyles.
The Rio Olympics begin August 5 and will be steamed live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. The Rio Paralympics begin on September 7 and will be steamed live on TeamUSA.org.
Rewatch Lochte’s 2012 win in the video above.
