The 2016 Rio Olympics are officially over, and if you're like me, you're a little upset that we no longer get to cheer on our country. Okay, let's be honest, if you're like me, then you're really upset because the following men won't be gracing our primetime screens for another four years (some, never again as athletes). Aside from their incredible talent, these men are insanely attractive and we're going to go through 11 of them to get our point across: swimming is the best Olympic sport.
1. Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps has become a household name. After "retiring" in 2012 following the London Olympics, we were able to watch history unfold as Phelps finished his career with 28 medals, 23 of those being gold medals. The most decorated Olympian of all time may be retiring for good this time, but we'll still hold out hope that his teammates Ryan Lochte and Nathan Adrian are correct when they said he's "potentially" retiring.
2. Ryan Lochte
Ryan Lochte finished the 2016 Rio Olympics with a new title: The Second Most-Decorated Male Olympic Swimmer of All Time, surpassing Mark Spitz. Not only is he a good swimmer, but he's quite charming and you can always count on him to spice things up a bit. For his past three Olympics (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012), Lochte wore grills over his teeth and this year, he bleached his hair, which ended up turning teal due to the chlorine (he still looked good though).
3. Nathan Adrian
Nathan Adrian took us by storm this year with his good looks and boy-next-door personality. He won four medals (two gold and two bronze) during this year's Olympics, two of those alongside Michael Phelps. We can't wait to see him back in Tokyo 2020.
4. Conor Dwyer
Lochte's fellow Florida Gator alum Conor Dwyer has been on our radar since London 2012, but we thoroughly enjoyed watching him score gold and bronze during the Rio Olympics.
5. Jimmy Feigen
Although his biggest spotlight yet is probably the recent controversy surrounding him, Lochte and two other swimmers, Feigen has held his own in the swimming world winning a silver in London and a gold in Rio.
6. Anthony Ervin
Anthony Ervin may be one of the oldest on the team, but he is still killing it. He won two gold medals in Rio to add to his silver and gold medals that he won in Sydney 16 years earlier. Those tattoos just get us, Ervin.
7. Caeleb Dressel
I didn't go crazy for Caeleb Dressel until the US Swim Team released their Carpool Karaoke video before the Rio Olympics. His personality shone through the video and into our hearts, and then his talent got us when he helped two of his relay teams earn gold medals in Rio.
8. Chad le Clos
Chad le Clos is probably most famous in the States for beating out Phelps for gold in the 200-meter butterfly in London 2012. His two silver medals in Rio earned him the title of one of South Africa's most decorated Olympians. And come on, look at that face. How could we be upset that he beat Phelps?!
9. Florent Manaudou
French dreamboat, Florent Manaudou, currently holds the world record in the 50-meter freestyle and backstroke. Although he didn't make his bid to qualify for the Rio Olympics, he won a gold medal in London 2012.
10. Cullen Jones
Like Manaudou, Cullen Jones failed to make the Rio Olympics. He won two silver medals and one gold medal in London 2012, along with one gold in Beijing. Here's to hoping we see him in Tokyo for his third Olympics.
11. Gabriele Detti
This drop-dead gorgeous Italian swimmer won two bronze medals in Rio, while he went home empty-handed in London. Medals or not, he makes me want to cheer for Italy all day long.
