Attention: Ryan Lochte is back atop the swimming world.
With the retirement of his chief rival Michael Phelps, Lochte is once again the fastest man in the water. At the Short-Course World Championships, which ended Sunday in Istanbul, Turkey, Lochte won six gold medals and broke two world records.
The 28-year-old also won a silver medal in the 200m backstroke.
So yeah, it’s safe to say he is the acting king of swim racing.
Lochte won the 100m IM (WR), 200m IM (WR) and the 200m freestyle, and was on the winning relay teams – 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle and the 4x100m IM.
The medal haul matched his total at the 2010 Short-Course Worlds and at the 2011 Long-Course Worlds, he earned one less gold medal. At the London Olympics, Lochte picked up two gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze.
But wait, there’s more. After receiving his 200m IM gold medal, Lochte walked over to the stands and draped it around the neck of a 9-year-old boy. It was a nice gesture, and it’s something Lochte often does at meets other than the Olympics. He told the BBC his reason for doing so: “I remember when as a kid I looked up to an Olympian superstar. I won’t mention his name [but] I asked for an autograph and he said ‘no’. I told my parents that if I ever get in the same position, I’ll do it.”
We give Lochte high marks for his speed in the pool and his generosity out of it.
On another note, move over Speedo: Swimwear (and swim gear) company Arena is now the chief sponsor of the U.S. national team, ending a 30-year period during which Speedo held that title. Arena, whose U.S. roster of sponsored athletes includes Rebecca Soni and Conor Dwyer, will provide new uniforms for the team and will be the title sponsor of USA Swimming’s Grand Prix series.
In London, swimmers wearing Arena suits won 31 percent of the medals – eight gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze – and broke four world records.
