Ryan Lochte reveals baby's sex, talks wedding plans and pledge for 2017
Ryan Lochte has had a busy year between the Rio Olympic Games, “Dancing with the Stars” and his engagement to model Kayla Rae Reid -- not to mention that he and Reid are preparing for their baby.
The swimmer keeps moving forward. Lochte is now the new face of PowerBar’s Clean Start campaign, and he says he’s excited to take on 2017 with his new family.
The Olympic swimmer, who’s already gearing up for the 2020 games, also revealed his baby’s sex to CBS News: He and Reid are having a son. Read on to find out what Lochte had to say about love, parenthood and wedding planning.
You’re working with PowerBar to make a clean start. Can you tell me more about your campaign with them?
PowerBar started this new campaign of a clean start in 2017 and I thought this was a perfect fit for me because I’m putting 2016 in my past. I’m moving forward and starting with a clean start. My clean start is going to be a family. And there’s a lot more I want to accomplish, like swim faster. That’s my new pledge.
Last year you were talking to reporters about Tinder and dating and now you’re engaged. How did you know Kayla was the one?
I think it was just something me and Kayla had, even with the whole Tinder thing and all that. I mean, at the same time, I found something in Kayla that I couldn’t find in anyone else. We had a special connection and I was like, “This is it. This is who I’m going to give my entire heart to, is Kayla.” It’s been amazing.
Tell me about the moment you found out you were having a baby.
Oh my God. At the moment, I was doing “Dancing with the Stars.” I came home after rehearsal and I remember her telling me, “I have something to tell you,” and I was like, “What?” and she’s like, “I’m pregnant,” and I was like, “Ha, what? No you’re not. Stop lying,” and she said, “Yeah, I am,” and I was like, “What?!” And then it hit me and I was like, “Holy crap!” and I immediately jumped up and gave her a big hug and I was like crying and saying, “I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve been wanting a family of my own for so many years and now it’s finally coming true.”
What kind of dad do you envision yourself as?
I’m definitely going to be a loving dad. I’m going to spoil my child with so much love and that’s where the baby’s going to get spoiled. I know what to do and what not to do from talking to other parents and my own parents so I’m excited to change diapers, to dress up my kid in the same outfits as me and this is going to be so much fun. It’s going to be awesome.
Have you revealed the baby’s sex yet?
No, but we’re having a boy.
Congratulations! Is that what you were hoping?
Yes, yes I was, because I always wanted more than one kid and I definitely wanted a boy first so if we have a girl, the boy will be the big brother and take care of his sister so it’s working out perfectly.
Are you going to make him swim?
He’s going to know how to swim but I’m not going to push him into anything. But I know one thing I learned in life is anything I do, I want to put 110 percent in it, so I’m going to teach him that in anything he does, he’ll have to put in 110 percent, not half-a** it. He can pick any kind of sport he wants. I really want him to play a sport and be active. I think that’s a really important thing in children, is to be active.
I hate to say it, but he already has some competition with Boomer Phelps. Will he have an Instagram account, too?
I don’t know. I mean we might do that, create the whole Instagram account and all that. I already knew this was going to happen when we found out it was a boy, that everyone’s going to be like, “Oh, Boomer -- it’s like Phelps and Lochte back at it again,” so it’ll be fun but the most important thing is I’m really excited about just having a kid.
How are you preparing for your wedding?
They always say like the wedding’s for the woman but you know, for me, I want to be a part of it. I want to help pick out the cake, pick out the flowers, settings, everything, so I want to be a big part of it. Our biggest focus is bringing this child into this world. We’re going to keep our focus on that and afterward we’ll set a date and time on getting married, but I think we’re looking at October.
Are you nervous about dividing your time between training for 2020 and raising your child?
It’s something I’ve been doing my entire life -- time management. I’ve had school, commitments with sponsors and still be able to get training in, so this won’t be any different, having a family. I’ve been managing my time for so long so I know I can handle it.
We saw you do some acting in your PowerBar commercial -- you were pushing a pull door in the ad. But you’re also acting in a new movie with Sharon Stone. Are you excited for that?
It’s a new opportunity for me and you know it’s just something different and I love doing something different. I’m pushing my limits, pushing what I can do and what I cannot do so it’s definitely fun.
Do you love acting? Do you plan to pursue it in the future?
I mean, maybe. I can’t say that because my focus right now 110 percent is swimming, but you know, if the opportunity comes, I’ll be more than happy to do it.