Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is hitting back at harsh critics who claim he looks unrecognizable. The 41-year-old champion responded to insults in a video posted by his girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, on Instagram on May 14.
In the clip, Gillihan informed Lochte that many people were saying he no longer looks like himself, with some even accusing him of catfishing. Lochte sarcastically pointed out that a photo from the 2012 Olympics, when he was in peak shape and had makeup for shoots, is being compared to his current appearance in 2026—14 years later.
He questioned why people expect him not to age and noted that his hair color has changed due to dye. The 12-time Olympic medalist dismissed the comments, calling the critics clowns. Gillihan supported him, saying she loves him and finds him handsome.
Earlier this week, Lochte announced on Instagram his new role as coach at Missouri State University, which sparked the comments. Some followers said he looked drastically different, while one joked he resembled Kash Patel. Gillihan later poked fun at this in a story post.
Lochte and Gillihan moved in together in January, months after his divorce from Kayla Rae Reid was filed.