Ryan Lochte is entering a dramatically different chapter, and fans are doing a double take.
The 12-time Olympic medalist recently revealed a major career move, but it was his noticeably different appearance that first caught many people’s attention.
Locate Is Going to Be an Assistant Swim Coach
More than a year after his wife, Kayla Reid, filed for divorce following seven years of marriage, Lochte announced that he is joining Missouri State University’s swim team as an assistant coach.
The former Olympian shared the news in an Instagram video posted on May 10, where he reflected on stepping into a new role outside competitive swimming.
But longtime fans quickly noticed something else: Lochte looked very different from the clean-cut swimmer they remembered from his Olympic days.
Gone was the clean-shaven face and polished hairstyle he sported during events like the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Instead, the former “ Dancing with the Stars” contestant appeared with scruffy facial hair and a more rugged hairstyle, wearing his hair spiked up with gel as he embraced the next phase of his life.
The new look comes alongside a new passion.
“Over the last couple of years, something so unexpected happened,” Lochte said in the video. “I might actually be more passionate about coaching than competing.”
Though he acknowledged his success in the pool, the decorated swimmer suggested he may have found a calling beyond racing.
“Don’t get me wrong, I had a pretty good swimming career,” he joked. “But honestly, I think I might even be a better swim coach.”
He added with humor, “So, I traded in my goggles for a stopwatch, and I’m not gonna lie, it looks pretty good on me.”
The announcement was met with support from fans and loved ones — including his girlfriend, Molly Gilliham, who celebrated the milestone in the comments.
“I love you. I am beyond, beyond proud of you. This is what you were made to do!!! Congrats my lovie!” she wrote.
Lochte Found Love Again
Lochte’s personal life has also undergone major changes in recent months.
In January, he shared that he and his three children — Caiden, Liv, and Georgia — had moved in with Gilliham and her three children from a previous relationship, creating a blended household of eight.
“I fell in love with someone who shares those same values and who has three children of her own,” Lochte told People earlier this year.
“Together, we’re a family of six kids,” he continued. “She’s my best friend, our kids have formed an incredible bond, and it became clear that being together under one roof was the right next step for all of us.”
The swimmer said the move was centered around stability and support for their children.
“We needed a bigger home to support our blended family,” he added. “And we’re focused on creating a loving, stable environment for all of our children.”
Lochte’s new chapter follows a difficult period after he and Reid publicly announced the end of their marriage in 2025.
“Earlier this year, I made the hard decision to end my marriage after deep prayer and reflection,” Reid wrote in an Instagram statement at the time. “I hold marriage in the highest regard, so this has been one of the most painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life.”
Hours later, Lochte also addressed the split publicly.
“This past year has brought major changes for both of us as we’ve come to the difficult decision to end our marriage,” he wrote. “I’m deeply grateful for the life we’ve built together and especially for the love we share for our three children.”
Now, between a new look, new career and growing blended family, Lochte appears to be fully embracing change.
