Twelve-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte is shrugging off criticism of his appearance as he returns to the public eye. This week, Missouri State University confirmed they had hired Lochte, 41, as an assistant swimming and diving coach. According to the university's announcement, the third-most-decorated swimmer in Olympic history will begin coaching the men's and women's teams this summer.
Lochte's Enthusiasm for Coaching
Lochte spoke enthusiastically about his new role in a short video shared by the NCAA on YouTube. "Swimming gave me an incredible career, memories, things I will cherish forever," he said in the clip, in which he also sports a goatee. "But over the last couple of years, something so unexpected happened. I might actually be more passionate about coaching than competing."
Online Reactions
Many viewers online, however, were focused on Lochte's appearance, with some saying he resembled FBI Director Kash Patel or reality TV personality Joe Giudice. "I could have stared at this for an hour and never realized it was Lochte, what on earth," one person wrote on X.
Lochte's Girlfriend Responds
The social media chatter soon caught the attention of Lochte's girlfriend, kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan. On Thursday, Gillihan shared a video on Instagram in which she filled her boyfriend in on the discourse, noting: "One person said that Missouri State is getting catfished."
"Oh, so they're taking a picture of when I was working out every day, getting makeup put on me for photo shoots, back in, like, 2012 in the Olympics?" Lochte replied. "We're in 2026. What's that, 14 years? You think I aged?"
Gillihan observed that Lochte's darker complexion might have been from dye that she had used on her own eyebrows and he jokingly used on his head, but he didn't seem convinced. "To be unrecognizable, I mean, I don't get it," he said. "They're all clowns. Like, come on."
Lochte's Career and Personal Life
Lochte, who hails from Florida, picked up a total of 12 medals, six of them gold, over the course of his Olympic career. Since he last competed in 2016, he has waded into reality television, appearing on "Celebrity Big Brother" and the premiere season of Peacock's "The Traitors."
Last year, Lochte and his former wife, ex-Playboy Playmate Kayla Reid, announced they had split after seven years of marriage. In September, Reid accused her ex of using drugs in front of their three children. Lochte denied the claims, noting he had attended "intensive rehab" for substance abuse and has since been focused on his recovery.
