University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title after finishing first in the women's 500-yard freestyle event Thursday evening.
Thomas pulled away in the final 150 yards to win in 4:33.24.Thomas, who previously swam for the men's team at Penn, has come to personify the ongoing debate on trans women's participation in sports and the balance between inclusion and fair play."I try to ignore as much as I can. I try to focus on my swimming and what I need to do to get ready for my races and block out everything else," Thomas told ESPN after the race.
Last month, an anonymous letter written on behalf of 16 of her 40 Penn teammates criticized what they saw as her"unfair advantage," saying they supported her gender transition out of the pool but not necessarily in it.In response, more than 300 current and former swimmers, collegiate and elite, signed their names to an open letter defending Thomas' ability to compete. One of those signees was Sullivan, her closest competitor in the 500 free prelim Thursday.
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