Lochte Calls U.S. Open Performance The “Worst Meet That I’ve Ever Had”

2020 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, November 12 – Saturday, November 14
• Selby Aquatic Center, Sarasota, FL
• Long Course Meters (LCM)
• Timed Finals
• Live Results – Sarasota
• Combined Results Central

On the heels of his first competition in eight months, Ryan Lochte isn’t pleased with himself.

In speaking with AP News after the 2020 U.S. Open had wrapped up, Lochte claimed that it was “probably going to go down as my worst meet that I’ve ever had”, and vowed to dive right back into hard training upon returning home.

“I do not like swimming this bad,” he said. “When I get back, I’m going to start turning it up again.”

Lochte raced four events at the Sarasota site of the U.S. Open, which was raced in nine different locations across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 36-year-old placed third overall in the men’s 200 individual medley (2:01.05), 24th in the 200 backstroke (2:03.83), 26th in the 200 freestyle (1:52.05) and 51st in the 100 back (57.41). He opted to scratch out of the 100 free.

For context, at the 2019 U.S. Summer Nationals, Lochte recorded times of 1:57.76 in the 200 IM, 1:50.25 in the 200 free, and 55.08 in the 100 back in what was his first meet in over 14 months.

“I don’t know if I’m mentally tired. I know I’m physically tired,” he said. “I love getting on those blocks and racing again.”

Lochte figured he’s only competed in about seven meets since the 2016 Olympic Games, having last raced competitively in March at the Pro Swim Series event in Des Moines. He also told AP News he’s only been back in training for six weeks due to the pandemic, along with an appendectomy surgery in late August, and believes he needs to be racing much more frequently in the lead-up to next year’s Olympic Trials.

“I need to be racing at least once a month with really good competitors,” he said. “I don’t want to lose that confidence.”

After his involvement in the Rio gas station incident after the last Olympics, along with receiving a 14-month suspension for using an IV in 2018, Lochte wants to be seen in a more positive light when he steps on the blocks in what will be his fifth Olympic Games (should he qualify).

“I feel like inside I want to prove everyone wrong,” he said. “I want to do it for myself. I guess this year is way more important than any I’ve ever had.”

AP News also spoke to decorated American Olympian Dara Torres, who won three Olympic medals at 41 years of age in Beijing.

Torres says that it’s still early, and these results can give Lochte and coach Gregg Troy an opportunity to adjust his training moving forward.

“It’s only November and he and his coach can tweak whatever they need to and figure it out,” she said. “He still has a lot of time. He should take that as a plus, figure out what wrong and do what he has to do.”