Former Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has fired back at fans who claimed he looked unrecognizable from his glory days this week.
Lochte, 41, stunned fans when he announced earlier this week that he had made a move into the world of collegiate athletics, joining Missouri State as an assistant swimming coach.
Yet, it wasn’t only his surprise career change that raised eyebrows. Fans seemed to be more concerned with his appearance than the news itself.
Along with a statement provided to the school, the six-time Olympic gold medalist also shared a video on his Instagram about his decision.
Screenshots from the video went viral almost immediately on social media, with fans left stunned by the former swimmer’s new look.
However, the former Olympic champion has now responded to his harsh critics in a fresh social media video shared by his girlfriend Molly Gillihan, 37.
Olympic legend Ryan Lochte stunned fans with his ‘unrecognizable’ new look on Monday
The former swimmer hit back at the ‘unrecognizable’ claims from fans in a new video
‘My phone is blowing up with everyone saying that nobody recognizes you,’ Gillihan told Lochte in the clip, which was shared to her Instagram.
‘Baby, they say that you don’t look the same at all,’ she continued, adding that some people went as far as accusing the swimmer of catfishing them.
Lochte was quick to shut down the accusations as Gillihan hinted that fans were using decade-old photos of him from the peak of his athletic career to compare to him now.
‘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. We’re in 2026,’ Lochte responded.
‘What’s that, 14 years? You think I aged?’ he sarcastically questioned.
While he did admit that his hair had undergone a transformation due to dyeing, Lochte continued to disparage the comments.
‘I mean, to be unrecognizable… I don’t get it,’ he vented. ‘They’re all clowns, come on.’
In the video announcing his new Missouri State appointment earlier this week, Lochte had told his followers: ‘Plot twist! Ryan Lochte is officially becoming Coach Lochte.
Lochte’s girlfriend Molly Gillihan filmed the former Olympian’s reaction to the claims
Lochte told his followers on Monday afternoon: ‘Don’t get me wrong, I had a pretty good swimming career. But honestly, I think I might be a better swim coach!’
‘After spending half my life staring at a black line at the bottom of the pool, I figured it was time to help the next generation do the same thing. Swimming gave me an incredible career and memories that I will cherish forever.
‘But over the last couple of years, something so unexpected happened. I might actually be more passionate about coaching than competing.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I had a pretty good swimming career. But honestly, I think I might be a better swim coach. I traded in my goggles for a stopwatch!’
Yet, many had skipped over the news, zeroing in on Lochte’s appearance. Taking to X, one fan wrote: ‘Whoa. I would never recognize him’.
‘Uhhh wtf? I would not know who that is without the caption,’ another fan wrote.
Meanwhile, some even jokingly suggested that the six-time Olympic gold medalist bore a striking resemblance to FBI Director Kash Patel.
‘Why does Ryan Lochte look like Kash Patel now,’ one user asked on social media.
Another jokingly labelled Lochte as ‘Splash Patel’ as they reacted to the pictures.
Some jokingly suggested that Lochte bore a striking resemblance to FBI Director Kash Patel
It marks his first major professional step since a turbulent period in his personal life last year
The appointment comes just months after a furious split from his wife of several years, which preceded a brief stint in a rehabilitation facility.
The 41-year-old, was married to former Playboy Playmate Kayla Rae Reid , with whom he shares three children, for seven years until she filed for divorce in March 2025.
The swimmer has since moved on with new girlfriend Gillihan, who Reid recently accused Lochte of cheating on her with before their separation .
Reid and Lochte share three children: Caiden, eight, Liv, six, and Georgia, two. The couple’s split was officially announced in June 2025, three months after the initial filing.
