Transgender swimmer finishes LAST in final college race

Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas ended her controversial school swimming profession with a last place end within the last of the 100-yard freestyle on the US collegiate championships on Saturday.

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Thomas, who competes for the College of Pennsylvania, trailed residence in eighth place in 48.18, greater than two seconds behind winner Gretchen Walsh, who touched the wall in 46.05.

Thomas, who swam on Penn’s males’s staff earlier than switching to the ladies’s squad this season, grew to become the primary transgender athlete to win a top-tier Nationwide Collegiate Athletic Affiliation (NCAA) crown when she gained the 500-yard freestyle title on Thursday.

She completed fifth within the 200 freestyle last on Friday.

Thomas was seeded tenth within the 100 freestyle however completed second in her morning warmth in 47.37, her greatest time of the season, to qualify fourth total for the ultimate.

Opinion was divided over Lia Thomas’ participation

Controversy has shrouded Thomas all year long, with critics and a few fellow swimmers saying she mustn’t have been allowed to compete and has an unfair physiological benefit. Others say she needs to be allowed to compete freely as a lady.

Talking after her Thursday victory, Thomas mentioned she had tried to calm the controversy.

“I attempt to ignore it as a lot as I can, I attempt to deal with my swimming, what I have to do to prepare for my races and attempt to block out all the things else,” Thomas mentioned.

Final month, governing physique USA Swimming unveiled new pointers that included a extra stringent threshold for testosterone. 

However the NCAA, the governing physique for US school sport, determined these guidelines wouldn’t be utilized to the championships, saying to take action would have “unfair and doubtlessly detrimental impacts” on athletes making ready for the meet.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse