GLOUCESTER COUNTY EVENT WITH RILEY GAINES

Riley Gaines is an American former competitive swimmer, political activist and a 12-time NCAA All-American who competed for the University of Kentucky NCAA swim team. She was the 2022 Southeastern Conference Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 

Gaines joined the University of Kentucky's swim team and made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2019. She also made the All-SEC Second Team in 2019 and 2020. She participated in the 2021 NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, coming second in the 4 × 200 yd freestyle relay and seventh in the 200 freestyle race; she made the All-SEC First Team that year.

In 2022, while swimming for the University of Kentucky in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship, Gaines tied for fifth place with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who became the first openly trans woman champion in the NCAA women's division after winning the 500-yard freestyle. Gaines shared that Thomas shared locker room space with them while still intact with "male genitalia" and that the championship trophy was to be given to Thomas for "photo purposes" and that Gaines was expected to go empty handed while waiting for her trophy in the mail. This incident began her activism.

Gaines has campaigned against the participation of men in women's sports.

Since 2023, she has hosted the weekly OutKick and Fox Nation podcast Gaines for Girls.