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Ryan Lochte Reveals if He'll Try for 2024 Olympics After Missing Out on Tokyo Games

By Brett Malec Jul 23, 2021 6:23 PMTags

Missing Tokyo.

Ryan Lochte isn't afraid to admit he's still disappointed he did not qualify for the 2020 Olympics, which start tonight with the Opening Ceremony on NBC.

"I am sad. I mean I'm not gonna lie," the Olympic gold medalist told E! News' Daily Pop on July 23. "This is the most important year of my life I feel like. I don't know, some part of me feels like I let down everyone, especially my family, because I wanted to do this for them. And I think that's why I kinda fell short because my whole entire life I've been swimming for myself and that's how I became great. And now that I want it more for everyone else than me...but it happens. The Olympics are still going on and I'm going to be cheering team USA on."

The swimmer isn't so sure he'll try out for the next summer games in 2024. "I will be 41 at the next Olympics," Lochte dished. "That's old in swimming."

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2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

He added, "In swimming years that is ancient. But I'm still going to be involved in the sport."

But Lochte will be traveling around the world teaching kids how to swim.

"Olympics is every four years but in between those years we have other swim meets so I'll be going to those and still competing. So you'll still see me around," he shared.

Check out our interview with Lochte to hear his thoughts on Olympic Village hookups and his efforts with the Global Swim Series.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family)

Check out E! News' 2022 Beijing Olympics homepage for news, photos and more.