Laurel Hubbard certainly made history when she becomes the first-ever transgender athlete to take part in the Olympics. She took part in the women’s 87kg weightlifting category, but unfortunately, her campaign at the mega event came to an end after she failed to lift 120kg and then 125kg.
After her two failed attempts at the 125kg category, in an interview, she mentioned her disappointment in her performance. Hubbard feels she let her country down because she could not reach the standards she set up for herself.
Laurel Hubbard thanks the committee for her journey
Although Hubbard failed to grab a medal for her country, she did not forget to thank all her supporters back at home and also the New Zealand Olympic committee who supported her throughout her journey.
“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. I’d like to thank the New Zealand Olympic Committee – they have supported me through what has been quite difficult times,” she said.
As the first transgender athlete, she found herself a topic of various discussions and she further added,” “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.”
The 43 years old’s selection in the game was surrounded by controversy. Many opposed her selection in the game. Questions were raised relating to her physical strength having gone born a man and having gone through male puberty.
Hubbard had taken a break from her sports career at the age of 23. She has been participating in men’s weightlifting competitions since she was a junior. She is a national record holder with a total of 300kg. It was not until 2012, that Hubbard would resume her sports career but as a transgender woman. She had a career-threatening elbow injury but bounced back with a gold in the 2019 Pacific Games.
It was China’s Li Wenmen who seized the gold at the event, Emily Campbell who won silver, and ultimately it was America’s weightlifting ace Sarah Robles who took bronze.
