Michael Phelps said he was retired after the 2012 London Olympics last year, but he changed his mind before Rio and ended up winning a few medals, breaking a 2,168-year-old record while he was at it. He has said this will be his final Olympics, and when you see how freaking hard he has to work to stay in shape as a 31-year-old, you’re inclined to believe that he won’t keep it up for four more years.
Ryan Lochte thinks Michael Phelps will swim forever
We can, at least, promise Lochte will keep making outrageous claims forever!
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Team USA rival, fellow medalist and noted television goofball Ryan Lochte doesn’t agree, though.
“You know what, I can definitely say that, because I guarantee you he will be there,” Lochte told Matt Lauer on TODAY. “I think so, I really think so. So Michael, I’ll see you in Tokyo.”
Phelps changed his mind last time because he had disappointing results in London, and was in a very dark time in his life. He had totally stopped working out and even had suicidal thoughts, culminating in a drunk driving arrest in 2014. Phelps described it as “an express elevator to the bottom floor.”
Part of his turnaround was getting back into the pool and returning to Rio. Today, Phelps is as happy as he has ever been, proposing to his longtime girlfriend last year. Together, they welcomed their first child several months ago. He’s also the most decorated Olympian in history. It doesn’t seem like he has anything left to prove.
Lochte knows Phelps incredibly well, as the pair have been (mostly) friendly rivals for 12 years now. Lochte is also a serious goober who had an entire reality show about him, so he knows how to play up for a camera. You probably shouldn’t take his proclamation too seriously. If 35-year-old Phelps can do it, does Lochte also think 39 and 43 and 47 and 51-year-old Phelps can get out there?
But hey, there’s always a chance!
