Suspension served, Lochte cleared for meet
Olympian to swim in first USA Swimming event in 10 months
Almost one year after winning his 12th Olympic Games medal, Ryan Lochte is returning to competition in a USA Swimming meet.
Lochte is scheduled to swim in the U.S. Open, which continues through Sunday at Nassau County Aquatics Center in East Meadow, N.Y. The four-time Olympian is expected to race in Saturday’s 100-meter backstroke and Sun- day’s 200 individual medley.
It’s his first USA Swimming meet since the Rio Olympics after serving a 10-month suspension for an incident at a gas station that occurred after a night out partying with three teammates. An appellate court in Brazil dismissed a criminal case against Lochte on July 14. His suspension ended July 1.
In April, Lochte raced in the U.S. Masters spring nationals, which isn’t a USA Swimmingsanctioned event, winning a 200yard individual medley.
He was entered in a meet in Los Angeles in July but withdrew, saying in a statement to FloSwimming that he hadn’t had time to train because of his son’s birth. Caiden Zane Lochte was born June 8.
Lochte, 33, is the biggest name competing in the U.S. Open as most national team members just finished the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, that ended Sunday.
The 12 months after the Rio Olympics has been a busy time for Lochte, who got engaged to model Kayla Rae Reid, appeared on Dancing with the Stars and moved to Los Angeles.
“Life has changed dramatically for me,” Lochte told USA Swimming. “My outlook on life has completely changed for the better.
“Now, I am not just taking care of myself; I’m taking care of another human being.”
Lochte has already said he wants to make a run at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.