Olympic swimming icon Ryan Lochte has made a startling confession about the sale of his prestigious gold medals, as his acrimonious split from wife Kayla Rae Reid takes a new turn.
Medals Sold Amid Marital Breakdown
The 12-time Olympic medallist, now 41, took to social media to address the growing public backlash over his recent comments. He stated he was 'too emotional to speak' directly but issued a lengthy written clarification.
Regarding the controversial decision to sell his hard-won Olympic medals, Lochte sought to explain his perspective. 'I never swam for the gold medals,' he declared. 'My passion has always been about being one of the best swimmers in the world.'
He described the medals as 'just the cherry on top of an incredible journey', pointing to his total haul of 90 international medals across the Olympics, world championships, Pan Pacific, and Pan American Games.
Lochte's Candid Take on Failed Marriage
The swimmer also delved deeper into the collapse of his seven-year marriage to former Playboy model Kayla Reid, who filed for divorce earlier this year and labelled the process as 'painful'.
Lochte admitted his own failings in the relationship but stood by a previous claim that the pair 'didn't fully know each other'. He acknowledged the difficulty of navigating personal challenges publicly and expressed regret for any hurt caused.
'I would be lying if I said I was a good husband, I wasn't,' he confessed. 'I'm committed to working on myself every day.' He credited therapy as a 'transformative journey' that helped him understand himself better and stated his primary focus is on protecting his three children by keeping certain matters private.
Rebuilding After Scandals and Addiction
This personal revelation comes as Lochte attempts to rebuild his public image, which has been defined by both athletic brilliance and notorious controversy.
His career was severely damaged by the infamous 'fake robbery' scandal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which he has since described as his lowest point, leading to substance abuse. He is now penning a tell-all memoir detailing his battles with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as the Rio incident.
Further struggles followed a near-fatal car crash in 2023, which triggered a period of 'depression and loneliness'. Now sober and in a new relationship with kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan, Lochte vows to keep his past marriage out of the spotlight. He says he is focused on his children, his 'new purpose', and his religious faith as he moves forward.
