Austin Killips rose to prominence as the first transgender cyclist to win the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico.
Killips is becoming famous as the Queen of Mountains. On the other hand, people want to know more about Austin Killips’ partner.
Get to Know Austin Killips
- Austin Killips was born in Chicago, United States, on December 30, 1995. Killips is 27 years old as of 2023.
- Born a biological male, Killips now identifies as a female. Also, she is an openly transgender athlete.
- The rising cyclo-cross racer is the first transgender person to win an official Union Cyclist International stage event.
- Killips began her cycling career in 2019.
Who is Austin Killips’ Partner? Is Killips dating someone?
Austin Killips doesn’t have a partner at the moment. However, Killips had previously been in a few relationships.
According to sources, the cyclist first met her ex-partner, Bayley Day, in 2017 on a dating site. To be precise, the couple matched on the popular dating site Tinder.
Killips worked as a mechanic in a local bike shop when she first met Bayley, an artist. Despite being from different professions, the couple instantly hit it off.
Austin Killips’ partner, Bayley, recalled the cycling adventures were one of the best moments she had with Austin. Well, she definitely embraced the relationship.
But as of July 2023, Austin appears to have been separated from her partner and is currently single.
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Austin Killips’ Relationship With Evelyn Williamson
It is said that Austin was involved in a polyamorous relationship. The cyclist apparently dated Evelyn Williamson and her first partner, Bayley, simultaneously.
So when and how did Austin meet her partner, Evelyn Williamson?
Evelyn is also a transgender cyclist who hails from Oakland, California. Austin first approached her back in March 2020. Together they shared a mutual love for cycling.
As transgender athletes, Killips and Williamson initially were learning how to navigate a career in the sport.
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In fact, they were the only two transgender racers on their team at the women’s elite national track championship.
To everyone’s surprise, the pair went on to win the Elite Track Cycling Nationals at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Pennsylvania.
A Cyclist Quit the Sport Because of Austin
Back in December 2022, Austin was filmed trying to push Hannah Arensman, a former cyclist, in the final race at the US Cyclo-Cross Championships.
The video shows Austin pushing her rival Hannah into a boundary fence. Afterward, Hannah quit cyclo-cross and gave up her dream of competing at the Olympics.
The former racer said that the inclusion of trans competition would be a detriment and that females would lose no matter how hard they train.
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The Debate on Transgender Participation in Sports
Male-born transgender athlete Austin sparked controversy after winning the Tour of the Gila event in New Mexico. Apart from winning over $30,000, the cyclist even claimed the Queen of the Mountains jersey.
Undoubtedly, Austin’s win was met with a massive backlash from all over the sports industry.
Many famous and respected female sportspersons slammed Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Sharron Davies, a former British Olympic swimmer, expressed her disappointment.
The 3-time Olympian Inga Thompson of the US claimed that the UCI was killing women’s cycling sport.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova said that transgender athletes will dominate women’s sports. She reacted by posting a tweet.
At first, UCI defended Killips’ victory and stated that it could be recognized as a milestone for transgender athletes in sports.
After Navratilova’s tweet, the organizers of the North Carolina Race acknowledged the contentious issue and pledged to develop an official policy to address the situation.
Also, they said that it would review the rules for trans athletes and analyze the current situation.
Transgender participation in sports is a sensitive issue, and we hope more reforms are brought in as soon as possible that benefits all the parties involved.
