transgender Swimmers Issaac Hennig and Lia Thomas were unbeaten at the Ivy League Women’s Championship on Thursday, with one breaking a record and both leaving their biological female competitors during the second day of events at Harvard University.
Thomas, who swam for university PennsylvaniaMost recently in 2019 the men’s team began to transition medically as a women’s, recording the fastest time of all swimmers in the women’s 500 freestyle preliminary heat in a full five seconds, finishing in 4:41.19 – Record five seconds shy of meeting the event, and six short of the all-time NCAA record.
Meanwhile, Hennig, who swims for Yale and is in the process of transitioning from female to male but is allowed to compete as a female because she has not yet taken any testosterone, pools in the 50-yard freestyle. beat the record by almost three. One tenth of a second with a time of 22.05.
Both are now favored by capturing their events in the finals, which are scheduled for tonight, as controversy continues over the NCAA’s decision to allow them to compete.
Transgender swimmer Issaac Hennig (center) dominated the Ivy League women’s championship on Thursday, breaking a record and dusting the women’s competition during the second day of events at Harvard University.
Penn’s swimmer Lia Thomas atop the podium after winning the 500-yard freestyle event at the Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard
Isaac Hennig of Yale, center, reacts as the Yale team wins the 200-yard medley at the Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard
Yale’s Issaac Hennig reacts after winning 50 yard freestyle event
Hennig of Yale, second from right on the winner’s podium after winning the 50-yard freestyle event
Lia Thomas of Pennsylvania looks to her medal after winning the 500-yard freestyle final
On Wednesday, the two clashed in the 800-yard freestyle relay, recording the fastest relay time of all swimmers on the first night of competition.
The absolute dominance displayed by the athletes has raised concerns about their continued participation in the historic competition.
Thomas, 22, is allowed to compete as a woman because she has completed one year of hormone treatment.
21-year-old Hennig, who uses her pronoun, hasn’t started taking hormones yet and has taken off briefly after winning the race while swimming in a women’s bathing suit.
USA Swimming earlier this month announced a new requirement that transgender women must suppress their testosterone levels for three years before competing, a rule that would have excluded Thomas.
Immediately after Thomas recorded a time five seconds better than all the other contestants. The absolute dominance displayed by him and other trans athletes, such as Hennig (not pictured), has raised concerns about his continued participation in the historic competition.
22-year-old Thomas is allowed to compete as a woman because she has completed one year of hormone treatment
Hennig dives into the starting block and water during Thursday’s 50-yard freestyle swim
Hennig, 21, who swims topless and uses pronouns, wore a pair of men’s swimming briefs on Wednesday but a women’s suit on Thursday during her run. He took off his top after the race was over
It appeared that Thomas would be barred from the NCAA Championships in Atlanta in March after the NCAA said he would follow USA Swimming regulations.
However, last week, the NCAA, the national body that oversees college sports, said it would be unfair to establish a new policy mid-season — allowing Thomas to compete in the NCAA championships.
Her continued participation in women’s competition has proved deeply divisive, with former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner – who won gold in the decathlon as Bruce Jenner – among those criticizing Thomas for swimming in the women’s race.
Nancy Hogshead-Macker, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and president of the advocacy group Champion Women, said: “If a CIS woman is caught taking testosterone twice, she is banned for life, while Lia’s got 10 years of testosterone. ,
“It’s about continuing the sex-segregation principle of the game: to be a place where women are truly respected and where they can win,” she said.
Hogshead-Capricorn coordinated a letter signed by 16 of Thomas’ unnamed companions, expressing concern about Thomas’ involvement.
Thomas celebrating with his fellow Penn State swimmers. Less than three years ago, she was separated from the school’s men’s team.
Here Hennig, seen in gray in the middle, talks with his teammates. He is in the process of transitioning as a man, but is allowed to compete in sports.
“We fully support Lia Thomas’ decision to confirm gender identity and transition from a man to a woman,” CNN reported.
‘Lia has every right to live her life authentically. However, we also realize that when it comes to sporting competition, the biology of sex is a separate issue from one’s gender identity.
‘Biologically, Lia has an unfair advantage over the competition in the women’s category, as her ranking shows her jump from #462 as a man to #1 as a woman.’
Still other members of the team spoke out in support of Thomas.
“We would like to express our full support for Leia in her transition,” the athletes said.
‘We value him as an individual, teammate and friend. The sentiments expressed by an anonymous member of our team are not representative of the feelings, values and views of the entire Penn team made up of 39 women from various backgrounds.
‘We recognize that this is a matter of great controversy and are doing our best to navigate it, focusing on doing our best in the pool and class.’
Finals to start on Thursday