Florida's Lochte Relishes Gold

He walked off the plane Monday night with a small carry-on bag, dressed in plaid shorts, a green T-shirt and a wide smile.

To those getting off the plane, he was just another passenger, yet the large group of people chanting his name would suggest otherwise.

These people, who had come out to the Gainesville airport, were members of the University of Florida swim team.

They were there to congratulate teammate Ryan Lochte as he arrived from Athens a two-time Olympic medalist.

"I knew he could do it, and he went there and did," UF swimmer Matt Coan said. "He takes care of business. We have all seen him do amazing things."

After taking the medal podium after the 800 free relay, Lochte went into his individual event pumped, but he said it was important for him to stay clam and just have a good time.

"[Michael] Phelps and I talked about it before the race," he said. "I just went out there and did my best."

During the race, Lochte says he was unaware of how well he was doing and was surprised by the outcome.

"On the last turn, I saw five guys coming off the wall," he said, "I just put my head down and kept swimming."

Lochte spent most of his summer training for the games, but actual preparations started six years ago when he first began to swim seriously.

"It was just such an honor to have been there and represent the U.S.," he said. "It is something I will never forget. I can't even describe the feeling of being up on the podium."

Now that he is back in Gainesville, Lochte does not expect to get much attention on campus, but says he would sign an autograph if asked.

However, Lochte's girlfriend of more than a year, UF swimmer Jessica Ranieri, thinks he will get plenty of notoriety.

"I think he needs to dwell on the event a little longer," Ranieri said. "He's someone with great talent who had the opportunity to prove it to the world."

As far as the medals go, he let his girlfriend and teammates look at them, but he plans to keep them stored away in a safety deposit box.

With Lochte returning to class on Wednesday and getting back into the pool, life is pretty much back to normal -- now that he's no longer in awe of the Olympic Games.

"I think I did all of that in Athens," he said. "I'm back here now, and I still have a lot of stuff to do. I have other goals, we have to do well in the SEC and then there is always 2008."