Laurel Hubbard, a 43-year-old weight lifter from New Zealand who made history by becoming the first openly transgender athlete to compete in Olympics, was ruled out of medal contention in the women’s +87kg category as she couldn’t complete any of her three lifts on Monday. She attempted to lift 120kg once and 125kgs twice. 

“I know that from a sporting perspective I haven’t really hit the standards that I put upon myself and perhaps the standards that my country has expected of me. But one of the things for which I am profoundly grateful is that the supporters in New Zealand have given me so much and have been beyond astonishing,” she said, BBC reported. 

“I’d like to thank the New Zealand Olympic Committee – they have supported me through what have been quite difficult times. I know that my participation at these Games has not been entirely without controversy but they have been just so wonderful and I’m so grateful to them,” she added. 

Also Read: In a first, a wave of openly transgender athletes at the Tokyo Olympics

China’s Li Wenwen clinched the gold, while Team GB’s Emily Campbell won silver.

Who is Laurel Hubbard?

Hubbard was born in February 1978. Laurel set a New Zealand men’s junior record in 1998 by lifting a total of 300kg. Three years later, she quit. In 2012, she came out as a transgender woman  before resuming her sports career. Since then, Hubbard has won seven international tournament gold medals.

She suffered an elbow injury in 2018 following which she thought her career was over. However, she fought back and won Pacific Games gold the following year. 

Now at the age of 43, Hubbard is the third oldest weight lifter in Olympic history. Her selection, however, sparked debate with critics raising an issue whether she carries an advantage as she went through male puberty.