Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte recently spoke about his estranged wife Kayla amid their ongoing divorce, stating that the marriage has felt like a “betrayal.” This week, Kayla shared a social media post highlighting “reminders” during the divorce process, which prompted Lochte to assert that he wasn’t dishonest in their relationship.
“I didn’t cheat,” he declared during an interview, adding that after their separation, he moved into a new place to start anew, expressing a desire to be happy again. “I was like, ‘No, I’m not, I’m divorced, it’s over,'” he said. He mentioned feeling like he has found a best friend in someone new since the split.
Although Lochte admitted that he wishes things were different, he and Kayla have both recognized that they were “unhappy for a very long time.” They announced last month that they were pursuing divorce after being married for seven years. According to reports, Kayla filed for divorce earlier this year, a choice she described as stemming from “deep prayer and reflection.”
Expressing her views, Kayla mentioned the respect she has for marriage and shared that this decision was among the most painful times of her life. She emphasized taking her time to heal before discussing the matter publicly.
“Sometimes we face challenges that are unexpected, and those moments force us to make tough choices to protect our peace and our children’s future,” she said.
Lochte then took to Instagram to reflect on the past year, mentioning it has been significant for both of them and acknowledging the difficult choice they arrived at to end their marriage. He expressed gratitude for the support he has received during this time.
The couple’s engagement took place in 2016, the same year Lochte faced controversy at the Rio Olympics regarding an incident at a gas station. Initially, he claimed he was held at gunpoint, only for it to be revealed that security guards were involved. This situation led to him losing major sponsorships and facing a suspension from USA Swimming.
Lochte secured his sixth Olympic medal at those games, winning gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
