During the men’s 200-meter individual medley on Thursday night, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation commentator Elliotte Friedman showed us an alternate universe where Ryan Lochte finally – in his fourth attempt at the Olympics – overtook Michael Phelps in the event. During the race, Friedman mistook Michael Phelps’ and Ryan Lochte’s lanes and got overly excited for the grill-loving swimmer. “Finally he’s going to do it!” Friedman said. “Ryan Lochte is going to beat Michael Phelps in this event in the games, and Phelps might not even make the podium!”
I wish I could detect some sort of schadenfreude in his speech, but really, Friedman just seemed excited at a possible scenario where Lochte beat the highly decorated Phelps. He later issued an apology. “I apologize,” he said on air, according Entertainment Weekly. “I apologize. I go my lanes mixed up. Phelps with the gold.”
Lochte finished in fifth, so he medal. Meanwhile, Phelps added his 22nd with this race.
Obviously, people have made jokes at his expense. But honestly, this isn’t more embarrassing than Lochte walking around with half gray, half green hair. And he owned up to the mistake.