Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard out of Olympic final after three failed attempts

Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is out of the women’s 87kg+ competition at Tokyo 2020 after three failed attempts.

In competing in the category, the New Zealander became the second openly transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics, after Canadian footballer Quinn.

But Hubbard – who won the gold medal in the same category in the 2019 Pacific Games – failed to register a lift in any of her three attempts at the snatch.

She, therefore, registered a DNF in the competition, which was won by China’s Li Wenwen.

The 21-year-old recorded a combined score of 320kg in the snatch and clean & jerk disciplines – an Olympic record. Team GB‘s Emily Campbell won silver, lifting a combined 283kg.

After two attempts, Hubbard had one final chance to register a lift. However, she was unable to get her legs up to hold the weight, and it fell over her head and to the ground.

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The IOC announced new guidelines back in 2016 that allowed transgender athletes to compete in the Olympics without undergoing sex reassignment surgery.

Male-to-female athletes must demonstrate that their testosterone levels are below a certain threshold for a year prior to any event.

In Hubbard’s case, she was confirmed as having met the eligibility criteria set by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

Hubbard said after her exit: “I’m not entirely unaware of the controversy which surrounds my participation at these Games, and as such, I would particularly like to thank the IOC, for I think really affirming its commitment to the principles of Olympism and establishing that sport is something for all people, that it is inclusive and accessible.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty