“Age is just a number” – When Ryan Lochte revealed the significance of Tokyo Olympics

Ryan Lochte is one of the most decorated American swimmers of all time. He was an integral part of the United States Olympic team for nearly two decades. Competing against and alongside some of the greatest swimmers of all time, Lochte has won 12 Olympic medals, making him the second most successful swimmer at the Olympics. Lochte is the only one from America's golden generation of swimming that is still going strong, refusing to stop competing professionally. His resilience and dedication are nothing but admirable.

Ahead of the 2021 Olympic Trials for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lochte appeared in an interview with Graham Bensinger for the In Depth show. The legendary swimmer provided one of the most important messages of all time when speaking about why he wanted to compete in Tokyo.

"I want to prove to everyone that thy are wrong, that I can still do it, and age is just a number"

Lochte swims at the 10th FINA World Swimming Championships, 2010 (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Lochte: 'In Depth'

Bensinger asked Lochte why Tokyo was so important to him, especially considering what he had already done in and for the sport. This prompt produced one of the greatest responses in sports:

"This [Tokyo] is probably going to be my most-important Olympic games, if I make it. I feel like I have more to prove and more things to overcome than I've ever had before. I want to prove to everyone that they are wrong, that I can still do it, and age is just a number"

When it comes to swimming, Lochte is nothing short of a veteran. Born to a swimming coach, he has been swimming competitively since his junior high school days. As any athlete can testify, repeating the same actions over many years affects the body. Lochte did not deny this:

"Everyday in practice, I feel it. Just been doing this for so long that, I mean, I feel it. It's taken a toll [on me]."

Bensinger asked Lochte why he felt like Tokyo was the greatest pressure he had ever felt. Lochte replied:

"Because ... I'm not swimming just for myself, I'm swimming for my family, and for everyone that's doubted me ... and that is why I'm still able to compete, with all these young kids right now, because I have more motivation than I ever did before."

Lochte embraces his kids after the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Lochte then emphasized the importance of his wife and kids, citing them as his biggest motivation.

"Those two little nuggets [his children] upstairs and my wife, they are the ones that push me."

Many critics of the 38-year-old swimmer have made comments about how it was time for him to hang up his boots over the years. Ignoring all the noise, Lochte had a straightforward message:

"I said 'I'm gonna stop swimming when I stop having fun', and I lost that after the 2012 Olympics, how fun swimming is ... I lost it for so long ... and I just got it back."

Lochte at the 2012 London Olympics (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Although Lochte did not make it to Tokyo, he made it clear right after the trials that he was not done. Still competing and growing the sport, the 38-year-old swimmer is an iconic inspiration to all athletes.