Ryan Lochte spent years racing beside Michael Phelps , winning gold medals, breaking records, and becoming one of the biggest names in American swimming. Now, the 12-time Olympic medalist is in the news not for retirement talks but for a very different reason. Lochte has made a choice that has surprised many fans. Instead of keeping some of the most meaningful symbols of his career, he is letting them go amid the personal turmoil.

On December 10, 2025, Goldin Auctions announced that Lochte had just consigned three of his Olympic gold medals. These medals are from Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and Rio 2016. They are pieces of history that represent some of his most powerful moments in the pool. But the question arises: how do you even make the decision to sell a medal you earned in 2016, es

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