Who is Ryan Lochte’s girlfriend Molly Gillihan? What we know as retired swimmer’s new love interest fires back over ex-wife’s betrayal claim

American swimmer Ryan Lochte’s new girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, has fired back at his ex-wife, Kayla Rae Reid, stating that no “betrayal” played a role in their relationship.

According to a report in TMZ, Lochte’s former wife shared an Instagram post on June 27, 2025, where she apparently reflected upon her divorce from the Olympian. Several lines in her post were about how “betrayal” can lead to a “breakthrough.” She concluded her message by saying that “divorce” is the beginning of her “rebirth.”

TMZ reported that Molly Gillihan slammed back at Reid and wrote on her private Instagram account:

“It’s okay to be so happy that your heart could explode out of your chest and you want to shout it from the rooftops. If you’ve felt it, you know this to be true. We would not be here if we had anything to hide or if there had been any betrayal that occurred along the way. This little goofball came into my life patiently, sincerely, and honestly. I am choosing him.”

Gillihan is a 37-year-old kindergarten teacher and mother of three. She is from Gainesville, Florida, per a report in Blast. They reportedly met during school drop-offs. Gillihan’s kids attend the same school as his kids.

Exploring more details about Ryan Lochte’s newfound love interest, Molly Gillihan

Ryan Lochte went Instagram official with his new girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, on Sunday, July 6, 2025. He shared a carousel where Gillihan was seen spending time with the 40-year-old former athlete’s family while celebrating the Fourth of July at Daytona Beach in Florida.

Both Gillihan and Lochte are single parents. According to a report in Blast, Molly Gillihan is a mother of three children. She reportedly filed for divorce last year. Lochte, too, has three kids—namely, son Caiden (8) and daughters Liv (6) and Georgia (2)—who attend the same school as Gillihan’s kids.

Her LinkedIn profile states that she is from the Midwest. She moved to Florida after several years. She went to Greenwood Laboratory School and then attended Drury University in Missouri. She has a private Instagram account.

She is a stay-at-home mom and also runs a play café. She first appeared on Lochte’s Instagram on July 4, 2025.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Lochte described his relationship with his new girlfriend. He said:

“Molly is true to herself. She has a big heart. She's a kindergarten teacher so she has the patience of a freaking saint. It's awesome being with her. We're just living our best lives and having fun.”

He also shut down the cheating rumors, stating that he didn’t cheat on his former wife, Kayla Rae Reid. He said that there was no “infidelity,” and added that he pursued Molly. He added that they began dating only after his divorce was filed with Reid. Molly Gillihan said:

“He pursued me some time after Kayla served him with divorce papers, and he was living on his own. Seeing how great of a dad he was is what attracted me to him.”

Reportedly, Reid announced her divorce from Lochte in June 2025 after seven years of their marriage.

Trending

Follow SoapCentral for more updates.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback