SwimSwam reported that Ryan Lochte has Landed in Charlotte, but no official announcement had been made by Lochte about his plans to stay and train at SwimMAC under legendary coach, David Marsh.
Today Scott Fowler at the Charlotte Observer reports Lochte has committed to staying in Charlotte through the 2016 Olympics. He will be 32 by the time those are held. There would be only one reason why he would leave Charlotte earlier than that. Lochte said:
“I’ll be here through 2016, unless something happens where I start doing really bad in the sport. Then I’ll have to go back to where my swimming career started, back in Florida. But I don’t plan on getting any slower — 2016 is my biggest goal. I want to stick it out here and see what me and David Marsh can do.”
David Marsh, CEO and Head Coach of SwimMAC
Since the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Lochte’s been vocal about his desire to swim shorter races and focus on his speed. Greg Troy’s University of Florida Gators, where Lochte spent his entire elite career, is known as a hard-driving program geared more toward middle-distance. Coach Marsh at SwimMAC has a reputation as a speed magician. His elite program operates like a high intensity training machine. Many of the athletes that come to Marsh already have a substantial base of training under their belts. With that base in place, Marsh conditions his pros, and they are truly professional athletes, to swim high in the water and at race pace. That’s it. That’s the focus of the program. SwimMAC, under Marsh’s watchful eye, is one of only a few programs in the United States that caters to older elites’ training needs.
“In my next swimming career, which started this morning, I want to train for some sprint events now…. I’m not done yet. I think there’s a lot more I can accomplish in the sport of swimming. I want to take my swimming to a new [level], and I want to bring it here to Charlotte.”
Lochte’s already made in-roads in the 100 meters butterfly, ripping a 51.48 in the semi finals at the 2013 FINA World Championships. (He was 6th in the finals with a 51.58.) Lochte’s 100 backstroke is a threat, if Marsh’s speed magic works, and history tells us it will. Nick Thoman’s Olympic silver medal in the 100 back is evidence enough.
See a SwimSwam inside look at the SwimMAC training machine here:
I watched the January Aussin 2016 and it looked like RL was a guy training thru the meet. He was a bit heavy as he tends to be when not peaked. Given this and given good performances I think the events he should focus on for Rio are the 200 IM to win and the 100 and 200 free to be on the relays. Would hate to see him over due it and not be at full potential in the IM.
For you haters out there it is not all about swimming-The way Lochte conducted himself outside the pool with the kids @Ultraswim had me reconsidering they way I thought of him after watching his show. MAC is perfect for Lochte to pass on the love of swimming to the future generation at the largest swim club in the USA. Kudos for that! And by the way, the way MAC pumps out Olympian success he made the right choice. SWIM MAC IS AWESOME!
U are probably right too on this aspect . he loves kids and loves teaching i am sure . The sprints , i feel he always wanted to do some . In london , His relay medley butterfly performance did put Usa ahead before Nathan entered the pool . He did a great job there considering Phelps absence in the mix . he would certainly in my eyes be the best on 100 fly than a fast freestyler .
Umm.. Lochte did not swim medley relay in London, Phelps did. You got it the other way around.
Or you meant Barcelona?
Anyway, Lochte’s swim was moot in that relay.
I’m getting stuck on the word “moot,” it could mean a lot of things right there. Seemed like a good swim to me, what’s the deal?
Not sure why Cullen is a factor here…after all his time from worlds wouldn’t have even won jrs…I give Lochte till the spring before he leaves Charlotte, which if he cares about doing well in 2016 he will. Not the place for someone who wants to swim anything over 100…
People underestimate how close Lochte and Jones are, Cullen is his bff in and out of the pool and they have long talked about training together. Coach Marsh seems to well with swimmers making a transition in their careers Ryan was not the type to move somewhere where he is not close to anyone that he is close too IMO. Plus you did not expect him to got to NBAC did you?
I just hope Lochte influences Cullen in the pool and not the other way around. Jones doesn’t strike me as being the type to grind it out day in and day out in practice based on how sporadic his performances are. Of course I have no idea, but that’s just speculation on my part.
I hope so too. Cullen Jones needs to be extra focused on his training and competitive swimming if he ever hopes to make it to Worlds or to the Olympics again. Maybe it will happen? Ryan said in an interview this week that he is pushing Cullen in practice so that is a good sign.
Yeah, qualifying in the 50 and 100 for London were totally a fluke. That silver medal in London, in the 50, he happened upon that success with no real dedication what so ever. Seriously, there is more meaningful content in dog puke then your anon comment.
It happens every 4 years. People forget that Cullen Jones is a threat, then all of a sudden everyone is stunned when he makes the olympic team and swims well… AGAIN. As if he never had a 4-year plan or any thought for longevity in this sport, he just randomly sucks and then “get’s lucky” with no dedication or preparation
Trying to figure why people assume that because he is moving to SwimMac (Lochte’s comments about sprints withstanding) he cannot handle 200s? 200s are sprints, correct? He has such a ridiculous amount of base training that moving towards race specific training can only help those races.
The man was a bit of a mess after that 400IM, is it possible that he went too far with the strong man and workouts with Troy going into London? Look at research wrt the CNS, cortisol levels, stress, and recovery: Try to tell me the possibility does not exist that he went beyond his means for London..
Regardless if you are fan of Lochte or not, this change bodes well for Team USA.… Read more »
My opinion is that Lochte just isn’t amazing at any one stroke. (He won the 200 back OG because of his endurance – not his speed). But aside from Phelps, he is unmatched over 4 strokes.
If he were to focus on the 200/400 IM, he could win each. Maybe try to qualify in 2/3 relays (by way of 100 fly), and you have 5 medals.
With the 400 IM on Day 1, that is a great chance for him. He will not pull off the 200 back/200 IM double.
Aging will do the number on Lochte next 3 years, but his toughness should never be underestimated, and I am not a fan of Lochte by any means.
Comparing him and Bovell in sprints is like comparing apples and oranges :). Have you ever seen Bovell in person? That is one great looking athlete. Have you ever seen Lochte in person? That is one of the worst looking swimmers around, head notwithstanding :).
I still believe he will be the favorite on 200 IM and 200 back in Rio, but that is it.
I have my money on him not swimming the 200back in Rio
Yeah, the height difference seems like it might squash some of it.
In swimming as you get older you struggle in middle-distance or long distance events and in individual medley events. You rarely find older guys at top level in the 200 or 400 free or 400 IM and so on. You do instead find 30ish swimmers at top level in sprint events (40ish if you remember Dana Torres …). So it would make sense for RL to dedicate the last part of his career to sprints. Just my opinion.
I wish Phelps would have done that before he retired , especially on 100 free .
He tried, after Bejing. Even tried to change his stroke. It did not work and he went back to the old stroke and the old events. Well of course he did swim the 100 free in the relays.
Some serious Lochte love here…
I can see him swimming the 100 Fly, 100 Back, 100/200 Free and 200 IM at trials in 2016.
He’d still be the favorite in the 200 IM, as I think the young guys won’t quite be there yet… And I’m sure he’ll be in he top 6 in the 200 Free, and possibly the 100 as well if the SwimMAC thing does its job.
But if he makes he team in the Fly or Back, USA is in trouble. If Conger/Murphy/Nolan/Shields aren’t keeping him off the team then we would be right to be massively disappointed.
So ideally, he’d be swimming the 200 IM and the free relays. Which ain’t to shabby for… Read more »
I have to agree with you.. he will probably be on these event.. maybe 200 back.. 100 free relay will be the toughest event for him to qualify.. 200 free I would be quite disappointed if he classifies for individual spot..
And Shields/Nolan, these both are still not a proven LCM force for me.. Dunno if Conger/Murphy will be ready for 2016..