Ryan Lochte Says He'd 'Be the Michael Phelps of Swimming If He Wasn’t There’

Ryan Lochte sits down for an interview on The Today Show on Friday morning (August 12) on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 32-year-old swimmer opened up about his disappointing final swim at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics the night before. While he won a gold medal in the Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay earlier in the week, Ryan didn’t medal in his other event, the 200m individual medley.

In an interview taped before the Olympics, but aired on Thursday night, Ryan opened up about his teammate Michael Phelps. He was asked if he is glad that they are around in the same era.

“Yes and no. My career would definitely be different,” Ryan said. “I guess you would say I’d be like the Michael Phelps of swimming if he wasn’t there. But at the same time I love a challenge, and that’s why I do the events that I do and going up against him is a challenge.”