With a demeanour best suited for a surfboard, Ryan Lochte always sounds a bit detached from the realities of life.So it shouldn’t be a surprise when the 24-year-old swimmer exhibits something of a disconnect between how well he performed in Beijing — two gold medals, two bronzes, a couple of world records and the first individual title of his Olympic career — and how he perceives it nearly four months later.“I honestly don’t remember me winning that gold,” Lochte said, standing alongside the pool at Georgia Tech early Wednesday evening. “I honestly still think it hasn’t happened. I mean, when people say, ‘I can’t believe you got that gold medal,’ I’m like, ‘I did? Woooaaa.”’Since his triumph in China, Lochte has been on a whirlwind of publicity appearances and photo shoots. He had a street named after him in his native Florida. He was feted on court alongside Dwight Howard before the Orlando Magic’s season opener. He went on television with Oprah, played in a celebrity golf tournament and treated himself to a custom-made luxury watch.But now it’s time to get serious again.He’ll compete at the US Short Course Nationals in Atlanta beginning Thursday, trying to gauge how far he’s fallen behind during the longest break of his career.Long breakUntil now, Lochte usually took off no more than two weeks a year from his rigorous training schedule. But the months after Beijing were set aside to capitalise on the realities of commerce — a gold medal winner must seize the moment in the afterglow of a successful Olympics — and to enjoy the perks of being someone who now gets recognised on the streets.“People notice me a lot more,” said Lochte, who will be competing in just his second meet since the Olympics. “I was in the middle of New York City and someone came up to me and said, ‘Are you Ryan Lochte?’ I was like, ‘How do you know that?’ It’s cool, but it’s really weird. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for someone like Michael Phelps.”Outside of Phelps, Lochte might just be the best male swimmer in the world. He certainly shed his title of “Mr. Runner-up” with a world record in the 200-metre backstroke, a memorable Olympic duel with American team mate and rival Aaron Peirsol.Lochte hopes to swim in four Olympics, which would take him through 2016, and insists he can maintain the competitive fire that served him so well during all those years finishing second to Phelps and Peirsol — even though he’s now got an individual gold of his own. “I’ve always had that competitive edge. I’ll never lose that,” Lochte said. “I’ll never get a big head. I’ll always be hungry. I’ll always be wanting more.”NYT
