He's had a pretty tough year by all accounts but Olympian Ryan Lochte is ending 2016 on a high note as he announces on social media that he's expecting his first child with his fiancee Kayla Rae Reid after being engaged for just two months.

Ryan LochteRyan Lochte is expecting a child with Kayla Rae Reid

The athlete posted a beautiful underwater pool shot of himself kissing the stomach of his 25-year-old bride-to-be yesterday (December 14th 2016) as he gushed about becoming a father for the very first time.

'My Christmas gift came early this year, can't wait for next year! Best news I've ever received', he captioned the image. Kayla also shared a similar image with her own caption: 'Just when you think you think you have it all figured out, life always surprises you with blessings when least expect it. So excited to share this news with all of you!'

The 32-year-old swimmer has been wanting children for quite a while now, and it seems that his Playoy model beau shares that sentiment. 'It's another thing we have in common: We both want kids, we want to create a family of our own, and I think that's something that's really important to us as well', Lochte told Us Magazine in October. The pair got engaged that month having confirmed their relationship in the summer during the Brazil Olympics.

Lochte certainly couldn't get any better news after the year he's had. His Olympics winning streak was marred by events that happened soon after in Rio, when he was charged for filing a false report of robbery after he claimed he and some of his teammates were forced out of their cab and robbed at gunpoint by thugs dressed as policemen. In actual fact, the incident in question saw a drunk Lochte and his pals being apprehended for vandalism at a gas station.

More: Ryan Lochte nearly quit 'Dancing With The Stars'

He later confessed that the story was fabricated and apologised, but that didn't save his endorsement contract with Speedo and Ralph Lauren. He did try an redeem himself by competing on 'Dancing with the Stars', but even that appearance saw a couple of audience members storm the dancefloor in protest.

Let's hope 2017 holds better things for Ryan Lochte.