NEED TO KNOW
Ryan Lochte is clarifying why he’s selling his Olympic gold medals.
On Dec. 10, Lochte, 41, appeared in a video from the Goldin auction house, announcing that three of the six gold medals he has won across his four Olympic appearances will be available to bid on.
In a follow-up statement posted to Instagram on Thursday, Dec. 18, he explained his decision to auction off his gold medals from the Olympic Games in 2004, 2008 and 2016.
“I never swam for the gold medals,” he said, explaining his “passion” had “always been about being one of the best swimmers in the world.”
“Those medals? They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey,” he said.
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Lochte said he won 90 international medals during his career, from the Olympics, FINA World Championships, Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and the Pan Am Games.
“I’ve been fortunate to achieve more than any swimmer out there,” he said. “But what means the most to me is what I’ve done with them, I’ve given away medals to fans and young kids in the stands, because it’s never been just about me.”
Lochte explained that he wants to “inspire the next generation” by “helping them chase their dreams.” What he “treasures the most” are the “memories, the hard work, and the connection,” he said.
The professional athlete also commented on recent posts from his estranged wife, Kayla Reid Lochte amid their ongoing divorce.
Ryan announced on Dec. 9 that he was writing a tell-all book, with apparent allusions to his estranged wife in the Instagram caption.
“Every day, I woke up to be belittled and reminded of my constant failures, day in and day out,” he wrote, noting that he was “eventually kicked out of our family home.”
On Dec. 11, one day after Ryan announced he was auctioning off his medal, Kayla posted a video from her and Ryan’s wedding day, in which he recited his vows and promises. “Sharing a special reminder,” Kayla captioned the post.
Ryan responded to her in his Dec. 18 statement, acknowledging that “navigating personal challenges in public can be incredibly tough.”
Phillip Faraone/Getty; Harry How/Getty
But he hoped “to clarify” the post about Kayla. “I understand that my words have sparked a lot of backlash, and I want to express that my intention was never to hurt anyone but to share my honest feelings,” he said.
“There’s a lot happening behind the scenes that I’ve chosen to keep private to protect my kids,” he explained, in reference to their son Caiden Zane, 8, and daughters Liv Rae, 6, and Georgia June, 2.
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He believes Kayla shared their wedding vows “to highlight the authenticity of what we once had,” he wrote.
“While I respect that, I still stand by my belief that we didn’t fully know each other, and honestly, I didn’t know myself or who I was,” he said. “I am very thankful for our three children and the love we shared at that time.”
He also credited how therapy has been “transformative” for him, as he works to make “tremendous effort to separate myself from the past,” adding, “l’ve truly moved on.”
The Olympian said, “[I] deeply regret any disappointment I’ve caused to those in my life, including the mother of my children. I would be lying if I said I was a good husband, I wasn’t. I’m committed to working on myself every day.”
He concluded his post by asking the public for “understanding and grace” while he navigates this “complex situation.” While he said he will continue to share parts of his life, he will “refrain from discussing matters pertaining to [his] previous marriage.”
