Caitlyn Jenner, a former Olympic athlete, claimed that a transgender swimmer was not the rightful winner at a US college championships.
Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle final by more than one second and a quarter. She beat Emma Weyant (Olympic silver medallist, University of Virginia swimmer), by more than a second.
Thomas was the first transgender woman ever to win an NCAA swimming championship title.
Thomas, a University of Pennsylvania student, has been following NCAA and Ivy League guidelines since she started hormone replacement therapy in 2019.
Thomas, 22 years old, ran Atlanta’s season-best time of 4:33.24 seconds. Weyant came in second with 4:34.99.
Jenner tweeted in response to the NCAA race results: “Emma the rightful winner!” It’s not anti trans or transphobic, it’s COMMON SENSSE!
Weyant received her second place medal to be met with wild applause
Thomas accepted her first-place medal and was almost silent.
According to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Weyant won the state of Florida despite the outcome.
He stated, “A male who identified as a female was allowed to participate in the race and was declared the winner by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Emma was determined to finish in second.”
The governor stated that the NCAA’s actions “have served to erode women athletes’ opportunities and perpetuate fraud against women athletes, as well as the general public”.
Jenner raised similar concerns before.
Former Olympic gold medallist and reality TV star, she has stated that she doesn’t agree with trans athletes competing against natural females. This is due to her inherent advantage.
She told TMZ in 2021 that “This is a matter of fairness.” It is why I don’t support biological boys competing in girls’ sports at school.
“It’s unfair, and we must protect girls’ sports at our schools.
Jenner competed as Bruce Jenner and won gold in decathlon at 1976 Olympics in Montreal.
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