12-time Olympic medalist winner Ryan Lochte said on Friday (12th August) he plans to be back at the Olympics in 2020, and predicts the same for teammate Michael Phelps.

SOUNDBITE (English): Ryan Lochte

"I'm not done in the sport. There's so much I want to accomplish in the sport of swimming. So I'm not done yet. I don't know when I'm going to come back. I'm going to come back when I'm ready. But I do know when I do come back, I'm going to be more determined than I've ever been. I can guarantee that."

SOUNDBITE (English): Ryan Lochte (on Michael Phelps returning for the 2020 Olympics)

"After 2012 he took like a break. He took like a year or two off, and a lot of things happened in his life where it changed him. Everything happens for a reason, and I definitely believe that. And everything that's been thrown at him, he's overcome. And I think it just was a little fuel for his fire. And that break that he took I think definitely helped him, because he came back with more of a purpose. He was more determined, and you know, he's on fire now. And so he has two more races and I'm definitely going to be in the stands getting behind him, and cheering him to hopefully victory."

SOUNDBITE (English): Ryan Lochte (in regard to the race being incorrectly called live on Canadian television calling Lochte as the winner of the 200m IM)

Reporter: "Ryan, there's a version of last night's race that you won, if you were living in Canada and saw it on the CBC. The entire race was called as if you on becasue they got their lanes mixed up. Are you aware of it?" (laughter)

Ryan Lochte: "Yay me!"

Reporter: "I suggest you go to YouTube and take a look at it."

Ryan Lochte: "I'll definitely make a joke of that one. You know, going into that race, I felt amazing. That whole day, at warmup, in the ready room, that first half of the race I felt great. Something happened during that transition between back and breast stroke. It felt like someone jumped on my back, and I was carrying multiple people on me. I don;t know what happened. It fell apart. But, you know, you win some, you lose some. I can't dwell about it. It happened. It's in the past so I've just got to move on. And, you know, I think it's a blessing in disguise I want to say, because it's something that I definitely did not want to do, in my Rio Games, that way. But I think it was a little ignition for a little spark that's inside me that will definitely help me coming back in the water with a purpose and being more determined for hopefully 2020."

SOUNDBITE (English): Ryan Lochte (on Michael Phelps coming back)

"You know, he said he was going to retire after 2012. And I was the only person that said he's going to come back. I think he's going to come back again, just because, when you get to this stage we thrive off that excitement of getting on those blocks and racing the seven best other swimmers in the world. We love that excitement, we love that challenge. And now that he's found a different purpose in the sport of swimming, I think he's going to come back, because he wants that challenge. He wants to push his limits. And I think that's why we still do it, especially at our age. We're pushing our limits. We're going to see how far we can go. That's why I feel like he's going to come back. I know I'm definitely going to come back. So I definitely want him there because we bring the best out of each other, and we help push each other. And I would like to say I think USA needs us. Especially Michael, he's been the back bone of Team USA since 2000. So I definitely hope he comes back the same time I do."

SOUNDBITE (English): Ryan Lochte

"If you look back on it, if not for Michael, you could be arguably the greatest American Olympic swimmer of all time. One of the greatest American Olympians of all time. Do you ever stop back and sort of reflect on that?" Ryan Lochte: "Sometimes. Sometimes I don't. A lot of people say if Michael wasn't swimming the same time you were, you would be the Michael Phelps. I don't know if I want to be the Michael Phelps. I want to be the Ryan Lochte. I think that's why I do so many different things with the, like the hair, the grills, the crazy shoes, just my personality coming out there. I want to be me. I'm not taking anything away from what Michael's done. He's been an amazing ambassador for swimming. And he changed the game. He's like a Michael Jordan. And I'm just being me. I'm doing things the way want to do it. I don't know if I'd be in the position that I'm in if it wasn't for him, because we do bring the best out of each other. And we push each other on a daily basis, whether you think it or not. We don't even have to train together, we just know we want to become the best. That's why we're so good for each other, that we push each other on a regular basis. So to answer that question, it's a yes and no."

SOUNDBITE (English): Ryan Lochte (on Katie Ledecky)

"She's a phenom, that's all I can say. She's getting so much faster that she's starting to beat my times in distance events, which is crazy. Any time she gets in that water, she's going to do something amazing. She's just so young, and she has so much determination. And she's so gifted. She just loves the sport. And you can see it. You can see it when she trains. You can see it every day. Like her just being in the water. She has a natural feel for it. So she's going to keep doing it, and she's going to keep breaking records. There's no doubt in my mind she will."