Riley Gaines

But I'm ashamed for feeling intrigued. I really am, because upon getting to that meet,

Um, seeing the tears that I saw from the girls who placed ninth and 17th and missed out on being named an all American by one place, seeing the tears from the moms in the stands, watching as their daughters are being obliterated in the sport that they once loved, feeling the extreme discomfort in the locker room, hearing the whispers. Cause that's what they were.

Um, seeing the tears that I saw from the girls who placed ninth and 17th and missed out on being named an all American by one place, seeing the tears from the moms in the stands, watching as their daughters are being obliterated in the sport that they once loved, feeling the extreme discomfort in the locker room, hearing the whispers. Cause that's what they were.

Um, seeing the tears that I saw from the girls who placed ninth and 17th and missed out on being named an all American by one place, seeing the tears from the moms in the stands, watching as their daughters are being obliterated in the sport that they once loved, feeling the extreme discomfort in the locker room, hearing the whispers. Cause that's what they were.

They were whispers of, of anger and frustration from these girls who just like myself had worked our entire lives to get to this meet. I remember specifically actually when my feelings really shifted because this was like a week-long meet. You swim prelims in the morning. You have to qualify top 16. You come back that evening. You swim finals.

They were whispers of, of anger and frustration from these girls who just like myself had worked our entire lives to get to this meet. I remember specifically actually when my feelings really shifted because this was like a week-long meet. You swim prelims in the morning. You have to qualify top 16. You come back that evening. You swim finals.

They were whispers of, of anger and frustration from these girls who just like myself had worked our entire lives to get to this meet. I remember specifically actually when my feelings really shifted because this was like a week-long meet. You swim prelims in the morning. You have to qualify top 16. You come back that evening. You swim finals.

And that's where you'll achieve your overall national ranking. And so that first day of competition, I'm watching prelims of the 500, which is the event that Thomas would that evening go on to win a national title in. And I'm watching prelims. There's about eight heats or so. My team was sat next to Virginia Tech. One of the swimmers from Virginia Tech, she swam in one of the earlier heats.

And that's where you'll achieve your overall national ranking. And so that first day of competition, I'm watching prelims of the 500, which is the event that Thomas would that evening go on to win a national title in. And I'm watching prelims. There's about eight heats or so. My team was sat next to Virginia Tech. One of the swimmers from Virginia Tech, she swam in one of the earlier heats.

And that's where you'll achieve your overall national ranking. And so that first day of competition, I'm watching prelims of the 500, which is the event that Thomas would that evening go on to win a national title in. And I'm watching prelims. There's about eight heats or so. My team was sat next to Virginia Tech. One of the swimmers from Virginia Tech, she swam in one of the earlier heats.

She had just finished. She came back to the pool deck, stood by me. I knew her. I didn't know her that well. I really only knew her name and what event she swam. We're watching the final heat swim. This is the event where she knew she was right on the cusp of making top 16.

She had just finished. She came back to the pool deck, stood by me. I knew her. I didn't know her that well. I really only knew her name and what event she swam. We're watching the final heat swim. This is the event where she knew she was right on the cusp of making top 16.

She had just finished. She came back to the pool deck, stood by me. I knew her. I didn't know her that well. I really only knew her name and what event she swam. We're watching the final heat swim. This is the event where she knew she was right on the cusp of making top 16.

final heat concludes thomas is swimming thomas dominates she looks up at the scoreboard and she realized she placed 17th and i will never forget because she looked at me again not even really knowing her and she grabbed me my hand with tears running down her face and she said riley i just got beat by someone who didn't even have to try I mean, I have chills telling it again.

final heat concludes thomas is swimming thomas dominates she looks up at the scoreboard and she realized she placed 17th and i will never forget because she looked at me again not even really knowing her and she grabbed me my hand with tears running down her face and she said riley i just got beat by someone who didn't even have to try I mean, I have chills telling it again.

final heat concludes thomas is swimming thomas dominates she looks up at the scoreboard and she realized she placed 17th and i will never forget because she looked at me again not even really knowing her and she grabbed me my hand with tears running down her face and she said riley i just got beat by someone who didn't even have to try I mean, I have chills telling it again.

And that's when those feelings shifted to utter heartbreak. And I realized the severity of what we were dealing with. This wasn't just a circus or a funny ha-ha, like, SNL skit moment anymore. This was real life. And that's when I decided... What cowards we have leading us are coaches, even coaches who I love and respect and who knew this was objectively wrong.

And that's when those feelings shifted to utter heartbreak. And I realized the severity of what we were dealing with. This wasn't just a circus or a funny ha-ha, like, SNL skit moment anymore. This was real life. And that's when I decided... What cowards we have leading us are coaches, even coaches who I love and respect and who knew this was objectively wrong.

And that's when those feelings shifted to utter heartbreak. And I realized the severity of what we were dealing with. This wasn't just a circus or a funny ha-ha, like, SNL skit moment anymore. This was real life. And that's when I decided... What cowards we have leading us are coaches, even coaches who I love and respect and who knew this was objectively wrong.

Yeah.