The Olympics are known for breaking world records and athletic achievements that seem impossible. The New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will achieve something that was considered impossible till a few years ago, by merely taking part in her event.

Hubbard, 43, will become the first trans athlete to compete in the Summer Olympics when she takes part in the weightlifting competition next month.

Before Hubbard underwent a transition, she had competed as a male in weightlifting competitions in New Zealand and outside. After transition, she has been winning medals in the women’s category regularly since 2017.

But she may become the most controversial female athlete ever if she goes on to win a medal at the Olympics. And she is a strong medal contender in the heavyweight category. Before this, she has won silver in the 2017 World Championships and also won two golds at the Pacific Games in Samoa in 2019.

Hubbard is within the rules as the International Olympic Committee allows transgender athletes to compete as a woman provided their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months before their first competition.

However, there has been some opposition to her. [https://nypost.com/2021/05/31/female-olympic-weightlifter-slams-transgender-athlete] For instance, when she won the gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, ahead of the local champion, it generated a controversy. Just before that, Australia’s weightlifting federation had sought to block Hubbard from the Gold Coast Games, but organizers refused.

Now that she has qualified for the Olympics, the New Zealand Olympic Committee and the New Zealand government have lent their support to Hubbard.

Read more:

News report:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/weightlifting/57548861

Rivals who think Hubbard shouldn’t be part of Olympics:
https://www.news.com.au/sport/olympics/rival-calls-transgender-athletes-olympic-inclusion-a-bad-joke/news-story/461cdacf6650dc2c4f23d3710cce558c

Why people who question Hubbard are wrong?
https://www.givemesport.com/1701158-opinion-comments-against-transgender-weightlifter-laurel-hubbard-are-seriously-damaging