Ryan Lochte opens up on SELLING his Olympic medals as bitter divorce from Kayla Rae Reid takes contemporary twist

Olympic legend Ryan Lochte has made a bombshell admission regarding the sale of his gold medals as his bitter divorce from Kayla Rae Reid takes another twist.

Earlier this year, Lochte was thrust into the spotlight after his wife, Reid, confirmed that she had filed for divorce from the Olympian after seven years of marriage. 

At the time, the former Playboy playmate branded the divorce ‘painful’, while Lochte said he was ‘deeply grateful for the life we’ve built together’.

Now, former Olympian Lochte has shed further light on the situation and also opened up on the controversial decision to sell his Olympic medals amid the divorce.

The 12-time medalist, 41, took to social media to issue a statement, confessing he was ‘too emotional to speak’ after facing a public backlash over recent comments.

On his Olympic medals, Lochte said: ‘I also would like to clarify the selling of my medals. I never swam for the gold medals. My passion has always been about being one of the best swimmers in the world. 

Olympic legend Ryan Lochte opened up on the decision to sell his gold medals

Lochte’s wife Kayla Reid (right) filed for divorce after seven years of marriage this year

‘Those medals? They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey. With 90 international medals – including Olympics, world championships, Pan Pacs, and Pan Am Games – I’ve been fortunate to achieve more than any swimmer out there.’ 

Earlier in the week, the swimmer appeared in a video from Goldin auction house, announcing that three of the six gold medals he won will be available for purchase. 

During his career in the pool, Lochte picked up six gold medals in total, with another six – either silver or bronze – alongside them. Seven of those were invididual.

Meanwhile, the 41-year-old also delved into his divorce with Reid, admitting his own failures in the marriage but claimed that ‘we didn’t fully know each other’.

‘Navigating personal challenges in public can be incredibly tough, and I am thankful the opportunity to clarify my recent post about my ex-wife. 

‘I understand that my words have sparked a lot of backlash, and I want to express that my intention was never to hurt anyone but to share my honest feelings.

‘There’s a lot happening behind the scenes that I’ve chosen to keep private to protect my kids. I recognize that Kayla has shared our wedding vows on her page to highlight the authenticity of what we once had. 

‘While I respect that, I still stand by my belief that we didn’t fully know each other, and honestly, I didn’t know myself or who I was. I am very thankful for our three children and the love we shared at that time.

‘Therapy has been a transformative journey for me, helping me uncover insights about myself that I previously overlooked. I’m making a tremendous effort to separate myself from the past, as I’ve truly moved on. 

‘I deeply regret any disappointment I’ve caused to those in my life, including the mother of my children. I would be lying if I said I was a good husband, I wasn’t. I’m committed to working on myself every day’.

Lochte won 12 Olympic gold medals but he disgraced himself at the Rio Olympic Games

Lochte recently revealed that he is now dating kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan

Lochte is currently attempting to rebrand his image after a career defined by both world records and high-profile scandals.

He is currently penning a tell-all memoir detailing his battles with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as the infamous ‘fake robbery’ scandal at the Rio 2016 Games.

The swimmer previously described the aftermath of Rio as his ‘lowest point,’ claiming he turned to substances to cope with the shame.

He has also struggled with the physical and mental fallout of a near-death car crash in 2023, which he says led to a spiral of ‘depression and loneliness.’

Now sober and dating kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan, Lochte has said that he is focused on his children.

‘There’s a lot happening behind the scenes that I’ve chosen to keep private to protect my kids,’ he told his Instagram followers earlier this month.

Moving forward, the Olympian has vowed to keep his previous marriage out of the spotlight to focus on his ‘new purpose’ and religious faith.