Ryan Lochte claps back at ‘clowns’ insisting he’s ‘unrecognizable’ in new video

Ryan Lochte is taking mean comments about his looks like an Olympic champ.

The decorated swimmer hit back at critics who called him “unrecognizable” in his Instagram video over the weekend, in which he announced that he’s taking on a new position as an assistant swimming and diving coach at Missouri State University. Some were not a fan of his tan and scruffy facial hair, and took digs at his appearance.

Lochte, 41, clapped back in a video posted by his girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, on Thursday. He appeared bewildered over people commenting on his looks, before pointing out that he’s aged.

“Oh, so they’re taking a picture of when I was working out every day, getting makeup put on me for photo shoots, back in, like, 2012 in the Olympics. We’re in 2026,” he noted.

“What’s that 14 years? You think I aged?” he added sarcastically.

Gillihan did explain a dark spot on his forehead in the video, sharing that she was dying her eyebrows and Lochte put some dye on the top of his head that turned black.

Still, Lochte was unamused by the comments saying he looks drastically different.

“To be unrecognizable, I mean, I don’t get it,” he said, adding, “They’re all clowns, like, come on.”

Gillihan also jokingly captioned the video, “👀 Who is this guy pretending to be my boyfriend @ryanlochte?!? 🤣🤣🤣 #unreconizable.”

Comments on Lochte’s original post announcing his new job included, “Literally does not look like him,” and “Damn what happened.”

But others supported him in the comments section, with one fan writing, “Say what you want but this dude is a legend.”

Lochte’s assistant coach job will start later this summer after his contract is officially approved by the university’s board of governors in June, the New York Post reported.

According to his contract, obtained by Front Office Sports, the job pays $34 an hour and he’ll earn an estimated $30,000. He’s eligible for bonuses, which include $750 for a Missouri Valley Conference men’s and women’s championship or co-championship. 

Lochte has three children with his estranged wife, Kayla Reid: Caiden, 8, Liv, 7, and Georgia, 2.

Lochte and Gillihan — who also has three kids — went public with their relationship last July. Lochte moved in with his girlfriend and her children in January,