Tokyo Olympics
Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will be first transgender athlete to compete at Tokyo Olympics
Tokyo/IBNS: Laurel Hubbard would be the first transgender athlete among five weightlifters confirmed to compete at the Olympics on Monday for New Zealand's team for the 2021 Tokyo Games.
Hubbard, 43, will also be the oldest weightlifter at the Games and will be ranked fourth in the women's heavyweight division.
After winning a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships and gold in the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, Hubbard sustained a serious injury that set back her career, while competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Competing as Gavin Hubbard, her birth name, Hubbard had set national records in junior competition with a total of 300 kilograms.
Eight years ago at the age of 35, Hubbard transitioned to transgender and has since met all of the requirements of the International Olympic Committee's regulations for transgender athletes and fair competition.
The competition in the women's 87-kilogram-plus category will be held on Aug. 2.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
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