On Monday, the first-ever transgender competitor participated in the Paralympic Games.
The 51-year-old Valentina Petrillo advanced to the women’s T12 400-meter semi-finals.
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An athlete who has won eleven national men’s titles qualified for the women’s 400-meter paralympic semi-final on Monday at the age of 51 after being granted competition eligibility by the sport’s governing body.
Italian Valentina Petrillo, a 45-year-old father of two who believes she should be allowed to compete in the women’s division for “happiness,” finished second in her heat after defeating an 18-year-old Chinese runner.
Petrillo’s testosterone levels after transitioning made her eligible to compete, according to World Para Athletics (WPA), but she had an additional edge over the Chinese and Venezuelan rivals in her heat because she was a visually impaired participant.
Petrillo ran her heat in 58.35. The Chinese runner behind her finished in 1:01.11.
The semi-final is on Monday night and the final on Tuesday.
Due to her involvement in the Games, Petrillo has faced criticism; before Monday’s race, one of her competitors expressed concerns that the Italian ‘had an advantage’ over the other competitors.
Fearing that her opponent ‘had an advantage’ in Paris 2024, the rival of the first transgender Paralympian
German paralympian Katrin Mueller-Rottgardt stated to Bild that “everyone should live in a way that makes them feel comfortable in their daily lives.
” However, I find it challenging in sports that are competitive.Given that Petrullo has spent a significant amount of time living and training as a guy, it’s possible that her physical needs differ from those of a woman by birth. This can work to her favor.
Irene Aguiar, a lawyer in Madrid, also criticized Petrillo for his “unfair” role. This could give her an advantage.’
Irene Aguiar, a Madrid-based attorney, also criticized Petrillo for her “unfair” participation, saying that she replaced a female athlete from Spain.
Petrillo advanced to the semi-finals of the Paralympic qualifying stages, surpassing 33-year-old blind Spanish sprinter Melani Berges, who finished sixth and was disqualified from competing in Paris.