Ryan Lochte's new girlfriend aims thinly-veiled dig at his wife after she hinted Olympics legend 'betrayed' her

Ryan Lochte's new girlfriend has fired back at the Olympic hero's wife after she hinted a 'betrayal' had been the decisive factor behind their bitter split.

It comes a day after the former swimmer, 40, confirmed he is dating blonde mom-of-three Molly Gillihan, 37, in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail.

His wife - former Playboy model Kayla Rae Reid - revealed last month she had filed for divorce in March, insisting her seven-year marriage to Lochte was 'irretrievably broken.'

The shock split went unreported until she wrote about it in a cryptic Instagram post referencing 'trials we didn't choose or see coming', declining to say more.

Then, last week, Reid posted a cryptic message on Instagram where she talked about how 'betrayal' can lead to 'breakthrough'.

Lochte and Gillihan fell head over heels after meeting on the school run – but the dad-of-three is adamant that he never cheated on Reid.

And now his new partner has jumped to his defense, issuing an apparent rebuttal to Reid's suggestion there was some sort of 'betrayal' in their relationship. 

'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,' Gillihan wrote on her private Instagram account, according to TMZ Sports.

'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. @ryanlochte.'

Talking to Daily Mail, a besotted Lochte gushed over his new partner.

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.'

The 40-year-old also revealed how his split from Reid is as acrimonious as ever.

'Kayla has blocked me on social media. She's the one that wanted this divorce in the first place and now she's playing this pity party,' Lochte added, icily.

'I want people to understand that Molly didn't take me away from my ex-wife. She didn't take me away from my kids.

'We got a divorce and I left. I moved down the street because I wanted to be in my kids' lives and I will always be in my kids' lives.

'There was no infidelity with Molly, like nothing. Molly didn't do anything wrong. She didn't pursue me, I pursued her.

'It was after I got served with the divorce papers. I was out of the house and living by myself. It was all after the fact.'

Two of Molly's children go to the same school in Gainesville, Florida, as the youngest two of Lochte's three kids, Caiden, eight, and Liv, six.

'I'm extremely happy with Ryan,' Molly told DailyMail.com.

'He pursued me some time after Kayla served him with divorce papers and he was living on his own.'