Splashbacks: Michael Phelps Married, Ryan Lochte Proposes in Sep-Oct 2016

It’s been another amazing year of aquatics competition, including the long-awaited Rio Olympics, and Swimming World had our readers covered every step of the way. During the next few days, we’ll take a look back in “Splashbacks”, the most read stories of 2016.

Michael Phelps’ marriage and Ryan Lochte’s proposal were among two of the most read stories in September/October of 2016.

1. Michael Phelps, Nicole Johnson Tie The Knot With Family and Friends

2016 was a whilrwind of excitement for Michael and Nicole Phelps as the two welcomed their son Boomer and tied the knot with family and friends in Mexico.

2. 11 Coaches Reveal the Funniest Excuses They Have Ever Heard

Swimming World intern Chandler Brandes polled several college coaches to hear the most creative excuses they have ever heard.

3. Confessions of a Butterflyer

The butterfly stroke sometimes gets a bad rap among swimmers, but to those who have practiced for hours to master the art of butterfly it is a magical stroke.

4. Lady Ledecky Lets Loose On The Ellen Show

Katie Ledecky was just one of the many Olympians to visit “The Ellen Show” in the post-Rio excitement. While there Ledecky gifted host Ellen Degeneres with two Team USA swim caps, before showing off her “Foot Flickers” skills.

5. Why Do We Swim?

One of Swimming World’s college interns dove into the complex question of “Why Do We Swim?” A question that leads to many complex answers.

6. Ryan Lochte Proposes To Girlfriend Kayla Reid

Ryan Lochte proposed to his girlfriend Kayla Reid in early October, capping off an up-and-down emotional Olympic year for the Olympian. Reid, who works as a model, stuck with Lochte through his well-publicized night of drinking in Rio and for that Lochte explained to the press that she’s “the one.”

7. Joseph Schooling’s $750,000 Olympic Gold Bonus Raises Questions in the NCAA

According to NCAA amateur status rules, college athletes cannot accept gifts of any kind throughout their careers, they do allow for the student-athletes to accept the bonuses for winning Olympic medals. However, the amount that an U.S. Olympian brings home pales in comparison to the amount that Singapore’s Joseph Schooling was awarded for his gold medal.

8. Suspensions for Lochte, Feigen, Bentz and Conger Announced

After a well-publicized night out drinking, which included wild variations of what occurred, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA Swimming delivered suspensions for Ryan Lochte, Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger. Lochte received the largest suspension, putting him out of all major competitions through the 2017 World Championships.

9. Connor Jaeger “Effectively Retired,” Pursuing Manhattan Real Estate Industry

Olympic silver medalist Connor Jaeger announced that he was switching his vision from swimming to real estate following a successful 2016 Rio showing. Jaeger relocated from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Hoboken, N.J. to seek a job within the Manhattan real estate industry.

10. Sarah Thomas Completes 82-Mile Swim Across Lake Powell

Former UConn swimmer, Sarah Thomas, completed the 82-mile swim across Lake Powell in early October completely unassisted, qualifying her for a record for an unassisted swim. The entire swim took Powell 56 hours to complete.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use