Ryan Lochte shares frustrated Instagram post following engagement criticism

Ryan Lochte Addresses Criticism of Engagement

Former Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte has addressed criticisms surrounding his recent engagement to kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan, which took place earlier this month after a 14-month relationship.

This engagement announcement follows Lochte’s split from his ex-wife Kayla Rae Reid, with whom he shares three children, and comes just one year after their divorce was publicly revealed in June 2025.

Despite the engagement, some social media users expressed discontent, claiming it feels premature given that Lochte’s divorce hasn’t officially finalized yet.

In response, Lochte shared on his Instagram Story: “Correction: Apparently we’re not allowed to say we’re divorced until all the signatures are in place. So we’ve reached an agreement, but the judge hasn’t officially signed it yet. My mistake in thinking the hard part was over.”

He continued, “Molly and I recognize that this may be just the beginning of a very tough and tiring road. We would appreciate your prayers as we navigate this new reality. Someone would like to reassure me that this chapter is not completely over yet.”

Lochte and Reid ended their seven-year marriage, and Reid had previously hinted on a podcast in March 2026 that Lochte was involved with Gillihan prior to their split. However, Lochte and Reid have both disputed this claim, stating their separation occurred when Reid was living alone post-announcement.

In his competitive career, Lochte was one of the top swimmers, earning 12 Olympic medals, including six golds, from 2004 to 2021. He was part of the team that set the 4x200m freestyle long course world record at the 2009 World Championships.

However, his career was marred by several controversies, including an incident during the 2016 Olympics where he and teammates fabricated a story about an armed robbery in Rio. Additionally, he faced a 14-month suspension in 2018 for an unauthorized intravenous injection.