After nearly drowning in the depths of heartbreak, Ryan Lochte seems to be getting back into the deep end of love again. Lochte once sold his Olympic medals to cover a debt; a moment that said everything about how low the highs of Beijing and London had fallen. Since then, his life outside the pool has been just as turbulent as anything he faced in it. A messy, public divorce had him gasping. But things seem to be falling back into place for Lochte, who is writing a new chapter, and this one looks like it might begin with a ring.

While not yet officially confirmed, Lochte posted a video on his Instagram story. The video featured a room filled with rose petals with the caption, “Surprise my love, Molly Gillihan.” Towards the end of the short clip, Lochte said, “Happy birthday, baby.”

The petals paved a path into the room and led to the bed. On the bed, a box lay in the middle of a heart made from the petals. The box, though not yet confirmed, looked like one that usually holds engagement rings. Could it be that he gave her the best birthday gift possible?

It does mark a major move from the retired Olympian, who has struggled on the personal stage recently. The now 41-year-old met and began dating Kayla Rae Reid in 2015 before they tied the knot in 2018. However, Kayla officially filed for divorce in March 2025, but it is yet to be official.

A lot has been happening on social media with both sides firing shots. That includes Reid’s claims of “betrayal” while Lochte released an emotional note on Instagram. In it, he touched on his earlier comments where he claimed they “barely knew” each other when they got married. Reid responded by posting a video of Lochte’s wedding vows to her.

That forced the 41-year-old to release a statement about his comments. In it, he reiterated the fact that they “didn’t fully know each other” while also revealing that he “didn’t know myself or who I was”. This all happened in the aftermath of the release of Lochte’s memoirs, where he detailed his life. In July 2025, Lochte went public with his new relationship, revealing that he was with Molly Gillihan. Since then, the couple has moved in together and is currently living with Gillihan’s three children. 

Lochte and Reid share custody of their three children. But the twelve-time Olympic medalist believes he and Gillihan have created a perfect mix.

“I fell in love with someone who shares those same values and who has three children of her own,” Lochte told PEOPLE in January 2026. “Together, we’re a family of six kids. 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.”

Now, the two have seemingly taken an even bigger step. And yet, while his personal life appears to find its footing, Lochte is transitioning into a new relationship with swimming.

Ryan Lochte takes a step back into the pool

Ryan Lochte’s love for swimming didn’t really surface until his teens. The now 41-year-old started when he was only four years old, but it was consecutive losses as a teenager that drove him to take things more seriously. And it turned out to be the perfect move for him. The American soon thrived, becoming one of the greatest swimmers of his era and one of the most decorated ever.

Only Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky have won more medals than Lochte’s 80; 54 of those happen to be gold. That includes his twelve Olympic medals, out of which nine have since been sold by the American swimmer. So, it’s safe to say, Lochte knows what he’s doing in the water, and now he’s going to use that knowledge to help the future.

The 41-year-old announced earlier this month that he is set to join Missouri State University’s swimming team as their assistant head coach. It marks a big move for the Olympian, although he’ll only be taking home around $30,000 annually, according to Front Office Sports. The contract includes stipulations for bonuses if various conditions are met, including NCAA-related options and more.

But for Lochte, it’s not about the money.

Lochte said in an interview with Mel Stewart on the GMM Takeover of the SwimSwam podcast, “The little things that I’ve done to help perfect my underwaters, to help perfect, like, my strokes, my mechanics. Like, me staying late after practice and working on little things. I’m gonna implement this into the workout for these kids to understand the movement of kicking underwater, like the drills that I’ve done. 

“I could help out so many people because I busted my a** and I worked my way up to the top, and I fell off the top, and I got right back up and kept going. So, like, I’m gonna help out so many kids in the aspect of training, reaching the top, reaching your goals, falling short, and keep moving forward. And this is just gonna be, this is gonna be fun.”

After all, the now 41-year-old spent the better part of three decades learning everything he could about swimming while becoming one of the best. That knowledge, the little details that he spent years perfecting, is what he plans on imparting to the next generation.

Now, with a possible engagement and a coaching role waiting poolside, the former Olympian seems far more interested in what comes next than what slipped away.