What happened to Riley Gaines the swimmer?
Who is Riley Gaines?
Riley Gaines is an American former competitive swimmer who competed for the University of Kentucky NCAA swim team. She has worked tirelessly to stop trans women from playing the sports that women participate in.
Riley Gaines’ Parents Were Also Active in Sports
Gaines was born to Brad and Telisha Gaines. Her parents were also active in sports. Riley’s father, Brad Gaines, played football at Vanderbilt University. Her mother on the other hand played softball at Donelson Christian Academy and Austin Peay.
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Riley Gaines Attended Station Camp High School
Gaines was a student at Station Camp High School in Gallatin, Tennessee. She won the 100-meter butterfly in her junior year as well as the 100-meter freestyle events in the TISCA High School Swim & Dive Championship in Knoxville in 2017.
Riley Gaines is also an Activist
Gaines has pushed for legislation that would bar transgender women from participating in women’s sports, among other things. She lobbied her state officials to adopt the measure in April 2022.
She participated in a television ad for US Senator Rand Paul in September 2022, endorsing him and expressing her displeasure with the idea of trans people participating in women’s sports.
Gaines was asked to give a speech in favor of legislation that would completely ban transgender college students from participating in sports that correspond with their gender identity in March 2023 before a Texas Senate committee.
She testified on behalf of the LGBTQ community on June 21 before the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing about defending their civil rights. According to credible sources, she spoke about her “own personal experience competing with trans swimmer Lia Thomas and having to share the same dressing room.”
Riley Gaines is Engaged To Louis Barker
Gaines shared the news of her engagement on Instagram on May 18, 2023. She posted a lovely photo along with a caption that reads;
“I’m posting well over two months late, but!!!!!! I feel so lucky to have found this guy, and I can’t wait to be Riley Barker. Yes, a million times over, life with you is fun.”
Where Did Riley Go To College?
Riley joined the University of Kentucky swim team in 2019 and was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. Additionally, in 2019 and 2020, she was named to the All-SEC Second Team.
She finished fifth in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle competition in 2022 while swimming for the University of Kentucky. Lia Thomas of the University of Pennsylvania finished fourth and went on to win the 500-yard freestyle, becoming the first openly transgender woman to win the NCAA women’s division.
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What happened to Riley Gaines the swimmer?
It was reported that Riley was physically assaulted on April 8, 2023, on the campus of San Francisco State University.
She said; “I was physically assaulted by one person. I was struck twice, both times hitting my shoulder with the second strike grazing my face. The rest of the protestors just ambushed and cornered me before I was able to move out with the help of campus police.”
Gaines shared a video of the incident that showed her moving swiftly while being surrounded by security personnel. Although the video is blurred and doesn’t seem to show an assault, an angry crowd can be heard saying, “Trans rights are human rights.”
How Old is Riley?
Riley is currently 23 years old. She was born on September 7, 2000, in Gallatin, Tennessee, USA.
How Tall is Riley?
Riley stands at an average height of 5 feet 7 inches.
