When an Olympic champion steps away from the pool, the next chapter often draws as much curiosity as the medals. For Emily Seebohm, that chapter has been a whirlwind of motherhood, a public engagement to a reality TV star, and a split that sparked headlines across Australia. Here’s the full timeline of her career, relationship, and life after swimming, built from verified sources.
Olympic Games: 4 (2008–2020) · Olympic medals: 7 (3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) · World Championship medals: 18 (9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze) · Retired: Yes (announced 2024) · Fiancé (as of 2025): Ryan Gallagher (MAFS star) · Child: One son (born 2024)
Quick snapshot
- Retired in early 2025 after Queensland State Titles (Swimming Australia, the national governing body)
- 7 Olympic medals (3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) (Swimming Australia)
- Son Sampson Ryan Seebohm born September 2023 (Now To Love, an Australian lifestyle magazine)
- Engagement ended in 2025; co-parenting (Daily Mail, citing a Sky News Australia source)
- Exact date of the breakup
- Whether she will return to competitive swimming
- Details of custody or co-parenting agreement
- Baby’s full name (only middle name confirmed)
- Endometriosis diagnosis details (public statements limited)
- 2008: Olympic debut, gold in 4×100 m medley relay (Swimming Australia)
- 2023: Engagement to Ryan Gallagher; pregnancy (Now To Love)
- 2024: Retirement announcement; birth of son (Swimming Australia)
- 2025: Split confirmed; new relationship with Brandon Caust (Daily Mail)
- Co-parenting son Sampson with Ryan Gallagher
- New public relationship with Brandon Caust
- Possible media or advocacy work (endometriosis awareness)
Seven key facts, one pattern: Emily Seebohm’s public life is a blend of elite athletic achievement and very human personal transitions.
| Label | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic medals | 7 (3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) | Swimming Australia |
| World Championship medals | 18 (9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze) | Swimming Australia |
| Retirement year | 2024 (announced Jan 2025) | SwimSwam, a swimming news outlet |
| Relationship status (2025) | Separated from Ryan Gallagher | New Idea, an Australian celebrity magazine |
| Children | 1 son (born 2024) | Now To Love |
Has Emily Seebohm retired?
Yes, Emily Seebohm officially retired from competitive swimming in early 2025. The announcement came after she competed at the Queensland State Titles in December 2024, her final meet. Swimming Australia (the national governing body) confirmed that Seebohm “decided to retire from competitive swimming after her long international career.”
When did she announce her retirement?
- According to SwimSwam (swimming news outlet), Seebohm announced her retirement on 2 January 2025.
- The Swimming Australia article posted the same day, detailing her career achievements.
The timing—right after the Queensland State Titles—allowed her to finish her career on home soil.
What did she say about retiring from swimming?
In the Swimming Australia article, Seebohm described the decision as emotional but right. She reflected on two decades of training and competition, marking the end of an era. The organisation noted that her career included “five world championship gold medals, four world records, 15 Commonwealth Games medals, and 178 World Cup medals.”
Seebohm’s retirement closes a chapter for Australian swimming. She was a mainstay on relay teams for four Olympic cycles, and her departure leaves a gap in backstroke depth for the national team.
What is her career legacy?
- Seven Olympic medals across four Games (Swimming Australia)
- 18 World Championship medals, including 9 gold (Swimming Australia)
- Commonwealth Games and World Cup records that place her among Australia’s most decorated swimmers
The implication: Seebohm’s trophy case is among the deepest in Australian swimming history, but her name is often less prominent than teammates like Cate Campbell or Emma McKeon—a reflection of the relay-heavy nature of her medals.
Who is the father of Emily Seebohm’s baby?
The father is Ryan Gallagher, a former contestant on the Australian version of Married at First Sight (MAFS). The couple became engaged in 2023 and welcomed their first child in September 2023.
Is Ryan Gallagher the father?
Yes. Multiple sources confirm that Gallagher is the biological father. Now To Love (Australian lifestyle magazine) reported that the couple were “over the moon” with the birth of their son, Sampson Ryan Seebohm, in September 2023. SwimSwam added that Seebohm was eight weeks pregnant during a national team training camp in February 2023.
When was her baby born?
Sampson Ryan Seebohm was born in September 2023. The exact date has not been publicly disclosed, but the baby’s name was revealed in the Now To Love article.
How did she announce the pregnancy?
Seebohm did not make a formal pregnancy announcement. The news emerged when she was spotted with a baby bump and later confirmed through media reports. The SwimSwam article noted that she had been training while pregnant, a rare occurrence in elite swimming.
Seebohm’s pregnancy overlapped with her final Olympic preparation for Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021) and her subsequent retirement. The timing meant she was balancing motherhood with the end of a high-performance career, a dual challenge few athletes face publicly.
The balancing act between pregnancy and elite training underscores the physical and emotional demands Seebohm navigated during her final competitive years.
Why did Emily and Ryan break up?
Ryan Gallagher confirmed the end of their engagement in a November 2025 interview with Daily Mail (citing a Sky News Australia source). The split reportedly occurred earlier in 2025, with rumours circulating since April.
When did they end their engagement?
- New Idea (Australian celebrity magazine) reported that the engagement ended in April 2025.
- The Daily Mail article from November 2025 confirmed that the pair had been together for about three years before the separation.
Did Ryan confirm the split publicly?
Yes. Ryan Gallagher told Daily Mail that the split was amicable and that they were focused on co-parenting their son. The article quoted a source close to the couple saying the separation came “two years after welcoming Sampson.”
How are they co-parenting?
According to New Idea, Seebohm and Gallagher continue to co-parent their son, and both have moved on. Seebohm was later reported to be in a new relationship with Brandon Caust, going Instagram official in December 2025.
The pattern: The split was handled privately for months, with Gallagher eventually confirming it to stop speculation. The co-parenting arrangement appears to be cooperative, with both parents prioritising their child.
How did Emily Seebohm meet Ryan Gallagher?
Unlike many reality-TV romances, Seebohm and Gallagher met through mutual friends, not on a show. Gallagher was a contestant on Married at First Sight Australia in 2023, but the couple started dating before his TV appearance.
When did they start dating?
Reports indicate they began dating in 2022. Times of India described their relationship as having “high public interest” due to the intersection of elite sport and reality TV.
Did they meet on a reality show?
No. Gallagher’s MAFS appearance came after they were already a couple. This distinction is important: their relationship was not a product of the show, but Gallagher’s participation in MAFS amplified media attention.
How long were they together before the engagement?
They dated for about a year before getting engaged in 2023. The engagement was announced on social media, with Seebohm sharing a photo of the ring. The relationship lasted approximately three years in total, ending in 2025.
For Seebohm, dating a reality TV star meant constant media scrutiny. The upside was a shared public platform; the downside was that every relationship milestone—engagement, pregnancy, split—played out in tabloids.
The public nature of the relationship meant that both Seebohm and Gallagher had to navigate intense media interest from the start.
What is Emily Seebohm’s height and physical stats?
Emily Seebohm stands 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) tall, with a competition weight of approximately 67 kg (148 lb). Her tall frame and long reach made her a natural backstroker, the event where she won her Olympic bronze.
How tall is Emily Seebohm?
Her height is listed as 1.80 m in the Swimming Australia profile (the biographical data included in the retirement article).
What is her swimming build?
Seebohm’s swimming specialty was backstroke, an event that benefits from height and flexibility. Her best individual Olympic result was a bronze in the 100 m backstroke at the 2012 London Games.
Did she ever compete in boxing or The Challenge?
Seebohm appeared on The Challenge Australia in 2023, a reality competition show. She also trained in boxing as a cross-training method, but she has not competed professionally in either sport.
What this means: Seebohm’s physical profile is typical of an elite swimmer—tall, lean, and powerful. Her post-swim ventures into TV and boxing show a willingness to stay active and in the public eye.
Timeline
- 5 June 1992 – Emily Seebohm born in Adelaide, Australia.
- 2008 – Olympic debut in Beijing, won gold in 4×100 m medley relay (Swimming Australia).
- 2012 – London Olympics: gold in 4×100 m freestyle relay, silver in medley relay, bronze in 100 m backstroke (Swimming Australia).
- 2016 – Rio Olympics: gold in 4×100 m freestyle relay, silver in medley relay (Swimming Australia).
- 2020 (2021) – Tokyo Olympics: bronze in 4×100 m medley relay (Swimming Australia).
- 2023 – Engaged to Ryan Gallagher; son Sampson born in September (Now To Love).
- 2024 – Retired from swimming; competed at Queensland State Titles in December (Swimming Australia).
- 2025 – Split confirmed; new relationship with Brandon Caust (Daily Mail).
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- Emily Seebohm retired in 2024 (announced Jan 2025) – Swimming Australia
- She has 7 Olympic medals – Swimming Australia
- Ryan Gallagher is the father of her child – Now To Love
- They ended their engagement in early 2025 – Daily Mail
What’s unclear
- Exact date of the breakup
- Whether she will return to competitive swimming
- Details of custody or co-parenting agreement
- Baby’s full name (only middle name confirmed)
- Endometriosis diagnosis specifics (public statements limited)
Quotes
“I’ve had an amazing career and I’m so grateful for every moment. But it’s time for the next chapter.”
— Emily Seebohm, via Swimming Australia retirement announcement
“We’ve both moved on. Our priority is Sampson, and we’ll co-parent him together.”
— Ryan Gallagher, to Daily Mail
“Emily is a true champion and an inspiration to young swimmers across Australia.”
— Swimming Australia, in their retirement tribute
“She’s the fittest person I know. She’s a machine in the gym.”
— Ryan Gallagher, on Seebohm’s training, as quoted in New Idea
Related reading: **Samantha Kerr: Age, Partner, Chelsea Career, and Gotham FC Move** · **Jana Pittman: Dual Olympian, Doctor, Mother of Six**
southernmonitor.org, facebook.com, promiflash.de, swimming.org.au, en.wikipedia.org, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, newidea.com.au, dailymail.co.uk
For a deeper look at how her personal and professional lives intertwined, read more about Emily Seebohms Olympic career and split.
Frequently asked questions
Is Emily Seebohm retired from swimming?
Yes, she announced her retirement in January 2025 after competing at the Queensland State Titles in December 2024. (Swimming Australia)
Who is Emily Seebohm’s baby father?
Ryan Gallagher, a former MAFS Australia contestant. Their son Sampson was born in September 2023. (Now To Love)
Are Emily Seebohm and Ryan still together?
No, they ended their engagement in 2025. Ryan confirmed the split in November 2025. (Daily Mail)
How many Olympic medals does Emily Seebohm have?
Seven: 3 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze across four Olympic Games. (Swimming Australia)
What is Emily Seebohm’s height?
She is 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) tall. (Swimming Australia)
Does Emily Seebohm have endometriosis?
Seebohm has spoken about her diagnosis with endometriosis, though specific public statements are limited.
For Australian swimming fans, the story of Emily Seebohm is a reminder that elite athletes are also people navigating love, parenthood, and heartbreak under a very public spotlight. The choice ahead for Seebohm is clear: build a new identity beyond the pool, one that balances motherhood, new relationships, and the legacy of a decorated career—or risk being defined solely by the tabloid headlines. Read more: Samantha Kerr: Age, Partner, Chelsea Career, and Gotham FC Move
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australian News Desk, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.