Parkersburg High School senior and Big Red swim team member William Crichton talks to 12-time Olympic medal winning swimmer Ryan Lochte Tuesday for the first interview of the year for the school’s Sports in American Culture class. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — Twelve-time Olympic medalist and multiple world record holding swimmer Ryan Lochte talked to students at Parkersburg High School Tuesday as they began their zoom interviews for instructor Sam Vincent’s Sports in American Culture class.

“When I heard Mr. Vincent say we were going to talk to an Olympic swimmer, I was really excited,” PHS senior and Big Red swim team member William Crichton said. “Ryan Lochte was at the top of the sport for a certain period, so being able to get his perspective would be really interesting.”

Lochte competed in his first Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and then went on to compete in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. During that time he collected three bronze, three silver and six gold medals.

He told students he grew up around swimming with both his parents being swimming coaches.

He said he was better at basketball when he was younger but quickly fell in love with swimming, finding it to be a calming escape and a source of happiness.

Students in the Sports in American Culture class at Parkersburg High School got the chance to speak to 12-time Olympic medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte Tuesday as they began their zoom interviews of sports legends. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“Something about the water made me just fall in love,” Lochte said. “I could be having the worst day. And then once I got in that water everything just disappeared, I was just in my happy place.”

Lochte fielded questions from students that ranged from what his diet was while training to what he felt was the most important things for athletes to be successful.

He said nutrition and diet are crucial factors for performance and changes could affect their training and results. He told students about a time in college he decided to binge on fast food, candy and junk during a weekend off and could tell something wasn’t right during practice on Monday.

“I was horrible,” Lochte said. “My time in the water was horrible, my attitude was horrible, I was just mean to everyone.”

He said he changed his diet the next day and was back breaking records in practice and having fun with his teammates.

“It was because I was putting the right nutrients in my body,” Lochte said. “So that is a very big thing for everyone.”

He told students to treat their bodies like a race car – putting only the best fuel into it.

He also gave students the three rules he has for becoming a successful athlete.

He said rule number one was to listen to their coaches and take their advice.

“They’re there to help.” Lochte said. “You actually have to listen to them and make those changes.”

He said the second rule was to set goals and dreams, and then pursue them, no matter the setbacks.

“You are going to get knocked down in life, no matter who you are,” he said. “Everyone is going to get knocked down at least once in life, but it’s not how you get knocked down. It’s how you get up, and how you keep moving forward.”

Lochte said his third, and most important rule, was to find joy in the sport they choose and in everyday life. He told them to enjoy the journey, not just the end goal.

“Just follow these rules,” Lochte told students.