WASHINGTON (TNND) — Former NCAA swimmer and activist Riley Gaines challenged former ESPN and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann to a race after he said she "was, somehow a worse swimmer than she is a MAGA stooge."

The feud started when Olbermann quoted an X post from Education Secretary Linda McMahon praising Gaines for her hard training and that she "would have clearly won if she had been competing against women."

Her comments reflected on a race between Gaines and transgender swimmer Lia Thomas that resulted in a tie for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle race at the 2022 NCAA Division. It highlighted the controversy surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports.

"[Riley Gaines] finished 85th in the Olympic Trials," Olbermann wrote on X. "She finished tied for 5th in the only race including a transgendered athlete. If there had been none she MIGHT have finished tied for 4th, or had 5th place to herself."

Gaines was quick to respond, noting she "placed 85th at Olympic trials when I was 15/16."

"I was one of the youngest there," Gaines continued. "And I placed 5th *in the nation* in a sport measured in .01s of a second without going a best. Would you say the 5th best college football player is objectively bad at their sport?"

She went on to challenge Olbermann to a race and confirmed to Fox News the event would be a 200-yard freestyle location of Olbermann's choice sometime before Aug. 31.

"I'd challenge @KeithOlbermann to a race where the loser puts up $ to the charity of the winners choice, but no one wants to see him in a speedo," Gaines said on X.

Olbermann responded by calling it "a brilliant idea" and saying he would be someone she could "finally beat."

Earlier this month, the DOGE subcommittee held a hearing on keeping biological men out of women's sports, including testimony from two female athletes.

Among those testifying was Stephanie Turner, who went viral last month after taking a knee during a fencing competition, protesting having to compete against a transgender opponent.

That knee I took in protest was a cry for help and an act of desperation," said Turner.

Also testifying, Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a game against a transgender player.

"I went into this game knowing that there was a male opponent, but I felt helpless and had no idea what to do," McNabb said.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would meet with California Gov. Gavin Newsom over his stance on transgender athletes after the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) said it would allow a transgender athlete to compete in a women's state championship track meet.

“THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS,” he said on Truth Social. “Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to.”

Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 5 aimed at barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sports.