Ex Pen Swimmer Leah Thomas23, says he has a goal to compete Olympics After being transferred to the women’s team after three years in the men’s team.
With her during her first television interview ABC’s Juju ChangThomas talks about his controversial season University of Pennsylvania. She was the first transgender woman to win a Division 1 national title.
“I knew I would be investigated if I competed as a woman. I was ready for it, but I don’t need anyone’s permission to be myself and play the game of my choice, “he said.
In addition, Thomas addressed concerns that despite having undergone hormone therapy for a year, he still had more physical advantages than other female swimmers.
“There are a lot of reasons why one runs and how well you do, and the biggest change for me is I’m happy, and the second year when I had the best time competing with men, I was sad. So it’s incredibly comforting to pick up and Let me put everything I have into training and racing, ”said Thomas.
“Trans people don’t move for athletics. We transform into happy and authentic and our true souls. Transitioning for profit is not something that depends on our decision.”
Thomas noted that Sisgender’s female athletes also had diverse body types and questioned whether they should also be disqualified for having hands on top.
“I’m not a medical expert, but there is a lot of diversity among CIS female athletes,” she said. “There are CIS women who are very tall and very muscular and have more testosterone than other CIS women, and should this be disqualified?”
In March, Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win a Division I national title when he won the 500 free final in just one second against an Olympic medalist and Virginia Standout Emma Wayant, Set a program record.
He competed in two more events, finishing fifth in the 200-meter freestyle and last in the 100-meter freestyle.
Members of the Penn Women’s Swimming Team have spoken out against Thomas’ involvement, claiming that it threatens the sport’s credibility, but they also support his choice for change.
“You can’t go half and be half, ‘I support trans women and trans people, but only to a certain point,'” Thomas said. “Where you support trans women as women and they meet all NCAA requirements, I don’t know if you can really say that.”
She continued: “Trans women are not a threat to women’s sports.”
Thomas told Chang that he planned to “continue swimming” and included the Olympics. “Swimming in Olympic trials has been my goal for a long time, and I want to see it.”