Back to the Olympics Newsfeed

Healthy Lochte begins buildup for worlds, Rio

MESA, Ariz. — What drives Ryan Lochte is elusive, something he knows he may very well never attain.

Perfection.

"I just want to have a swim meet one time where I'm like, 'That's a perfect swim meet,' " Lochte tells USA TODAY Sports. "I don't know if that will ever happen.

It's never happened. … But that's good that it hasn't happened."

Because that ideal meet — which certainly would entail a series of personal-best times, perhaps a world record or two — is essentially out of reach for Lochte, it keeps him critiquing himself.