Ryan Lochte moves on with his new girlfriend, Molly Gillihan– literally. In a new interview, the Olympic gold medalist opened up about his decision to move in with his partner just seven months after his estranged wife, Kayla Lochteannounced that she had filed for divorce. However, the reaction to the latest update on the elite athlete’s life was not pleasant, as users criticized the 41-year-old for moving the relationship forward too quickly.
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Ryan Lochte Talks ‘The Right Next Step’ With His Girlfriend, Molly Gillihan
Ryan spent much of 2025 in the headlines after fighting with his ex-wife, Kayla, over custody of their children in controversial court documents.
Now, the swimmer is the topic of conversation due to his new move with his girlfriend, Gillihan.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Ryan told the publication that moving in with Gillihan in the new year was “the right next step,” saying he’s spent the “last 10 months” focusing on himself. “That meant doing the work – going to rehab, rededicating my life to Christ, going to therapy and making changes that put my children first.”
“With this growth, I’m grateful that I now have my kids 50 percent of the time,” he added.
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Ryan also expressed excitement about his new “blended family,” saying that coming together only made sense after realizing they were aligned on what mattered most.
“Together we are a family of six children. She is my best friend, our children have formed an incredible bond and it became clear that being together under one roof was the right next step for all of us,” he said.
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Ryan Lochte shares photos of himself in his new home with his girlfriend
In an Instagram post, Ryan shared images of him and Gillihan sitting on the floor of their new home, both dressed in monochrome tracksuits.
“Home Sweet Home,” the Olympian captioned the post.
The reaction was anything but mild, however, as fans flooded the comments section of the post with critical statements.
“You’re going too fast, Ryan,” one user wrote. “Slow down the movement.”
“Are you divorced yet? You’re supposed to get better, not settle down,” a second person commented.
“Didn’t you become something like this less than a year ago?” another wrote.
A fourth user asked: “Did your medals pay for this?” »
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Ryan Lochte and his ex-wife named in lawsuit linked to their Florida home
The announcement of Ryan’s new property comes at an interesting time, as the swimmer and his ex-wife have been named in a lawsuit filed by the Fletcher Park Homeowners Association, according to The Blast.
The documents state that Ryan and Kayla failed to pay “assessments of all types, interest, late fees, administrative fees, attorney fees and collection costs due to [the owner’s associate]”.
The association reportedly filed a lien on the couple’s Gainesville, Florida, property for $4,000 in July 2025, but later filed a formal lawsuit after the fee went unpaid.
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Ryan auctions three gold medals for nearly $400,000
Ryan was also the center of attention in late 2025 when he revealed he was auctioning off three of his gold medals from the 2004, 2008 and 2016 Summer Games. It was later confirmed that Lochte had finalized deals for the prized possessions for the sum of $385,520.
Much like his decision to move in with his partner, Ryan faced backlash at the auction, but hit back at the critics almost instantly, saying the medals didn’t mean as much to him as many thought.
“My passion has always been to be one of the best swimmers in the world. These medals? They were just the icing on the cake of an incredible journey,” he said. “I handed out medals to fans and young kids in the stands because it was never just about me. It’s about inspiring the next generation and helping them chase their dreams. The memories, the hard work and the connection with all of you are what I cherish the most.”
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Kayla opened up about her decision to file for divorce from Ryan in the summer of 2025
Kayla posted about her decision to split from Ryan in the summer of 2025 after careful consideration. “I have the greatest respect for marriage, so this has been one of the most painful, eye-opening and difficult seasons of my life. I hesitated to share until I could do so from a place of healing — not from fresh, open wounds,” she said, according to The Blast.
“Sometimes we face trials that we did not choose or anticipate. And in those moments, we are forced to make the most difficult decisions to protect our peace, our children and our future. I have come to understand that staying is not always the most loving decision one can make. For me, leaving was an act of love – for those around me and for myself.”
