Riley Gaines Confirms Pregnancy with First Child

Riley Gaines, the NCAA National Swimmer, and her husband, Louis Barker, are excited to share they are expecting their first child together. Gaines announced the news via Fox News Digital on Saturday, revealing they will welcome a baby girl in September.

Gaines took to Instagram to share the joyful news: “Surprise! We’re 26 weeks pregnant. God is always very good.”

The couple got married in 2022 and recently celebrated their three-year wedding anniversary on May 22nd. Gaines has been a prominent advocate for female athletes, often voicing her opinions on the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. Recently, she engaged in discussions surrounding a Minnesota softball team’s championship win that featured a trans player.

Gaines tweeted her disapproval of a social media post celebrating that team’s success, which led to backlash from the player involved. The exchange turned personal, as the player criticized Gaines by calling her “really sick,” and took jabs at her appearance.

This back-and-forth highlights the ongoing debate surrounding inclusion and fairness in sports. Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, reacted by labeling Gaines as a “loser” for her views, expressing a need to find ways to include the transgender community in sports without compromising equity.

In the wake of the controversy, Biles later issued an apology, clarifying that she does not support measures that undermine women’s sports. Gaines accepted the apology and extended an invitation for Biles to join efforts to promote fairness for female athletes.