So langsam geht es wieder bergauf für den 12-fachen olympischen Medaillengewinner Ryan Lochte: Nachdem ein Großteil seiner Sponsoren, darunter auch Speedo, auf eine weitere Zusammenarbeit nach den Olympischen Spielen mit ihm verzichtet hatten, hat ihn jetzt TYR unter Vertrag genommen.
Lochte hatte eine Unstimmigkeit in Rio nach einem Partybesuch mit Sicherheitspersonal an einer Tankstelle als Überfall aufgebauscht – dies bescherte den Organisatoren natürlich sehr schlechte Publicity, galt Rio im Vorfeld der Spiele sowieso nicht als sicher. Es stellte sich jedoch heraus, dass der 32-Jährige einiges erfunden hatte – dies brachte ihm neben dem Verlust seiner Hauptsponsoren auch eine 9-monatige Sperre durch den amerikanischen Schwimmverband ein.
Nun jedoch scheinen sich die Wogen etwas zu glätten – und neben PowerBar, einem Hersteller von Energieriegeln und Eiweißdrinks, gibt nun TYR Lochte eine 2. Chance.
Ryan Lochte setzt alles daran, sein Leben wieder in den Griff zu kriegen nach der Blamage, er ist nun verlobt und erwartet mit Kayla Rae Reid ein Baby, wohl einen Sohn.
Auch wenn Lochte 2020 bei den Olympischen Spielen in Tokio schon 36 Jahre alt ist, sieht erst einmal alles danach aus, dass er so lange noch schwimmen wird. Bei den Weltmeisterschaften in Budapest darf er aufgrund seiner Sperre durch den amerikanischen Schwimmverband nicht starten.
Dies ist die komplette Pressmitteilung von TYR (in Englisch):
See the complete TYR Sport release below:
TYR Sport is proud to announce the signing of 12X Olympic Medalist Ryan Lochte to its roster of sponsored athletes.
As a truly iconic figure in the world of sports, Ryan has earned his status as one of history’s most recognizable names in swimming. With showstopping appearances in the last four Olympic Games, he remains the World Record holder in the 200 individual medley. In addition, his seven individual Olympic medals are second all-time in the sport of men’s swimming. Ryan has been named both American and World Swimmer of the Year twice in his career (2010 & 2011) and has a total of 70 medals in major international competitions including 45 first place finishes.
Ryan’s debut will be featured in TYR’s marketing campaign “Just Let Me Work,” and will provide fans with a glimpse into what motivates the decorated athlete moving forward.
In addition to his success in the pool, Ryan is incredibly focused on charity. H e is the spokesperson for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (Duchenne), an illness that has personally impacted his family, as well as the Mac Crutchfield Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for drowning awareness.
“I am thrilled that I will be continuing my swimming career with TYR Sport,” began Ryan. “I still have so much more I want to accomplish and TYR offers the perfect platform to achieve those goals. I’ve always been very impressed with the quality of their gear and feel fortunate to be part of their family. I look forward to the next chapter.”
“TYR is incredibly excited to welcome Ryan Lochte to our family,” said Matt DiLorenzo, Chief Executive Officer of TYR Sport. “Through his work in the pool he has elevated the sport of swimming on a global scale. However, it is his humble and caring approach toward his fans that has proven truly commendable. As a company we stand behind Ryan, and look forward to seeing what he can achieve.”
Ryan joins an accomplished team of TYR sponsored swimmers including Olympic Gold Medalists Dana Vollmer, Matt Grevers, Cody Miller and Kelsi Worrell, as well as Olympians Jacob Pebley and Molly Hannis.
About TYR
Named for TYR, the Norse god of warriors, our company is committed to cultivating a culture of greatness, both in and out of the water. Through vision and American ingenuity, we have become a brand synonymous with the athlete.
From the planning stages to the production floor, everything we do revolves around synthesizing creativity, experience and competition. For us, engineering the most advanced performance products is more than just a goal, it’s a requirement.
