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The 95-year-old resident will be rooting hard for Lochte, her 32-year-old grandson, as she does every time he hits the water. Lochte and Phelps will be among the medal favorites in Thursday’s 200 individual medley final. Phelps has won the race in the past three Olympics. Lochte took silver in the event in 2004 and 2012, and bronze in 2008.
“She gets very excited every time he swims,’’ said Magali Paschke, Aramburu’s daughter and a resident of Armonk. “She blows him kisses, and she feels it’s because of her kisses that he swims so fast. She pushes him with her arms to swim faster.”
Paschke said the Sky View staff has made sure Aramburu gets to watch the races of Lochte, who has won five gold medals during his brilliant career. Lochte even posted a video this week of Aramburu holding a paper Olympic torch at Sky View. The video has been shown on the Today Show on NBC and a host of other national and international media outlets.
“It means everything to Ryan to know that she’s watching,’’ Pascke said. “She even made 30 or 40 bracelets at Sky View that she sent out to the entire family. Sky View has helped make her feel happy, and we all thank them for that. I’m indebted to them for making her feel so special.”
Tonight’s race will likely be the final one in the Olympics for Lochte, who has already won gold at Rio as a member of the 4 x 200 free relay. Lochte has won 12 medals in his Olympic career. He is a native of Rochester.
Thursday night's race will be televised on NBC at 10 p.m. Click here to see Lochte’s video of Marta on Twitter.
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