Weightlifter Hubbard becomes first trans woman at Olympics

Pioneering weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Olympic Games Monday, but her Tokyo dream was cut short when she crashed out of her final early.

Hubbard contested the +87kg category in a groundbreaking move that Olympic chiefs says makes the Games more inclusive but critics fear will undermine women’s sport.

After months of anticipation, the historic appearance lasted less than an hour as all three of the 43-year-old’s snatch attempts failed. She dropped her first attempt at 120kg, increasing the weight to 125kg for her second only for the judges to disqualify the effort.

Hubbard had one more chance at 125kg but could not hold on, making a heart gesture to the spectator-free arena before bowing out. World champion Li Wenwen won the +87kg event, making it a golden double for China after Wang Zhouyu triumphed in the 87kg.

Media-shy New Zealander Hubbard made a swift exit from the arena after a brief statement to journalists, thanking Japan for hosting the Olympics in difficult circumstances.

She also expressed gratitude to the International Olympic Committee and the International Weightlifting Federation for supporting her campaign.

“Of course, I’m not totally unaware of the controversy that surrounds my participation in these Games,” she said.

Hubbard was born male and competed as a man before transitioning to female in her 30s, taking up the sport again after meeting IOC guidelines on reduced testosterone for transgender athletes.

She has already blazed a trail as the first transgender Commonwealth Games athlete in 2018 and won silver at the 2017 world championships.

But her presence on sport’s biggest stage in Tokyo has reignited debate about transgender athletes in women’s sport, raising complex issues of bioethics, hu