And a great weight has lifted from her shoulders
TOKYO — Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard finally got to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
It didn’t last long, but it was significant. Hubbard couldn’t complete any of her first three lifts on Monday night, ruling her out of medal contention in the women’s over-87 kilogram division that ultimately was won by China’s Li Wenwen.
Hubbard made a heart gesture to the audience with her hands before leaving the competition arena. Even without completing a lift, she was a pioneer for transgender athletes.
While the New Zealander isn’t the only transgender athlete competing at the Tokyo Games, she has been out for years and has been the focus of attention as a medal contender in weightlifting.
“Of course, I’m not entirely unaware of the controversy which surrounds my participation in these Games,” Hubbard said after exiting the competition. “And, as such, I’d particularly like to thank the IOC, for, I think, really affirming their commitment to the principles of Olympism, and establishing that sport is something for all people. “It is inclusive. It is accessible.” Hubbard also thanked the International Weightlifting Federation, because “they too have shown that weightlifting is an activity that’s open to all of the people in the world,” and the people of Japan for hosting the Games under extraordinary circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The International Olympic Committee in 2015 drew up a set of recommendations for including transgender athletes. Many sports bodies, including the IWF, have implemented similar policies based on those recommendations. Different sports are allowed to set their own specific policies.
In weightlifting, that includes a requirement for athletes to show their testosterone is below a certain level after transitioning, a requirement which Hubbard met. She won a silver at the 2017 world championships but had not competed for 18 months before Tokyo because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“My performance wasn’t what I had hoped but I’m humbled by the support I’ve received from so many people around New Zealand,” Hubbard said in a prepared statement.