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Six-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte was back in the water this week, but not to resume his swimming career at age 41.
Instead, the newly sober father of three was baptized in Florida, as he explained on Instagram with some accompanying video from the ceremony.
'I love sharing my life with my fans/followers,' he wrote. 'In this season of growing, I have learned that the only thing that truly matters is what God thinks of me. I made the decision to rededicate my life to Jesus and today I was baptized!
'My heart is full of so much love and happiness and I'm just so thankful for everything God is doing and going to do in my life. Thank you for all those who have loved and supported me throughout my life, you mean so much to me! @canvas_fl.'
Footage shows Lochte seated in the baptismal font – in this case, a metal tub – before getting dunked backwards by the man performing the ceremony at Canvas Church.
Afterwards, Lochte posted a photo of himself online with his girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, and his children.
Footage shows Lochte seated in the baptismal font – in this case, a metal tub – before getting dunked backwards by the man performing the ceremony at Canvas Church in Florida
Lochte is seen with girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, and his three children after his baptism
It's been a busy year for Lochte, who recently went through his second rehab stint. He previously went to rehab for six weeks in 2018 for alcohol addiction after an incident at a California hotel.
Back in March, Lochte was thrust back into the spotlight because of his acrimonious divorce from wife Kayla Rae Reid.
But in September he said he was in a better place after admitting himself to the UF Health Florida Recovery Center in Gainesville.
Speaking on Instagram, he said: 'I wanted to share some positive updates in my life and what's going on. I am so happy right now, and the big reason is that I'm 54 days sober.'
Lochte said a near-death car crash in 2023 in Gainesville saw him fall 'into a really dark place.' He collided with a garbage truck on his way to collect his children (Caiden, Liv, and Georgia) from school.
While suffering with injuries that took months of recovery, Lochte also admitted he suffered from ' depression , loneliness, and feeling like I was giving up' in the aftermath and that 'led me down a road of substance abuse.'
He added: 'With everything going on in my life, I needed to make a change, a drastic change. I'm thinking clearly, I'm motivated, and I'm moving forward.'
It comes just months after Lochte's estranged wife, Kayla, announced she was divorcing the 12-time Olympic medal winner.
Reid announced in June that she had filed for divorce from Lochte in March, after seven years of marriage.
At the time, the former Playboy playmate branded the divorce 'painful' and referenced ' trials we didn't choose or see coming', while Lochte said he was 'deeply grateful for the life we've built together'.
Neither revealed exactly what led to their marriage becoming 'irretrievably broken'.
In her post announcing the divorce, Reid wrote: 'Earlier this year, I made the hard decision to end my marriage after deep prayer and reflection.
'I hold marriage in the highest regard, so this has been one of the most painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life. I've been hesitant to share until I could do so from a place of healing — not from fresh, open wounds.'
Lochte is now dating kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan, 37.
During a remarkable career in the pool, Lochte won 12 Olympic medals, including six golds. He was a friend and rival of Michael Phelps, was christened an 'Olympic Sex Symbol' and showered with endorsement deals.
Lochte's wife Kayla Reid (right) filed for divorce after seven years of marriage this year
But his career torpedoed after a remarkable tale involving a gas station in Rio de Janeiro, where Lochte was competing at the 2016 Olympics.
He was heading back from a party to the athletes' village when he and three teammates claimed they were robbed at gunpoint by thieves posing with police badges.
Brazilian cops quickly discovered the truth, charged Lochte and accused him of making up the whole story. Surveillance footage showed the athletes had, in fact, been challenged by security after allegedly vandalizing the gas station bathroom.
It was one of the most bizarre scandals in Olympic history and it started when Lochte's mother claimed her son had been the victim of a robbery.
Rather than set the record straight, Lochte went further, detailing a remarkable ordeal.
He was heading back from a party to the athletes' village when he and teammates said they were robbed at gunpoint by thieves posing with police badges. That, however, was untrue
'We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,' he told NBC at the time.
'They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground – they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn't do anything wrong, so I'm not getting down on the ground.
'And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said: 'Get down', and I put my hands up, I was like 'whatever'. He took our money, he took my wallet, he left my cell phone, he left my credentials.'
But before long, his story had unraveled. Two other Team USA swimmers, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, were pulled off a flight and questioned by police. Another teammate, Jimmy Feigen, was briefly held before agreeing to pay a $11,000 donation to charity.
Lochte and Michael Phelps are pictured after the 4x200m relay at the Rio Olympics in 2016
Lochte is now dating kindergarten teacher Molly Gillihan (pictured) following his divorce
Lochte had already left Brazil by the time the truth emerged and the story exploded.
He apologized and admitted he was drunk. 'I made a mistake and I definitely learned from this,' he said. 'They put on a great Games... and my immature, intoxicated behavior tarnished that a little.'
The swimmer was branded 'The Ugly American' and the 'dumbest bell that ever rang'. He was accused of being 'everything the world hates about Americans'. And that was just by his compatriots.
The Rio mayor joined the pile-on. 'It's a shame that they're such weak characters, [and] that they have such personality flaws,' Eduardo Paes said.
A few weeks later, when Lochte appeared on Dancing with the Stars, protesters stormed the stage. Sponsors dropped him and US swimming suspended him for 10 months. He also forfeited $100,000 in Olympic bonuses.
