The weightlifter that has caused so much controversy this year is officially out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after failing to complete even one of out of three lift attempts at the competition. Laurel Hubbard, the New Zealander who was chosen for the spot over a young native Tongan woman, was set to be the first “trans woman” competitor in women’s weightlifting.
Breitbart News reports:
“New Zealand transexual weightlifter Laurel Hubbard failed to record a single successful lift in the women’s +87kg weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday morning, crashing out of the competition in the process.
A failed attempt to lift 120kg and two failed efforts at 125kg in the snatch meant Hubbard had his Olympics ended early.
Hubbard came closest on the second attempt, getting the bar above his head and appearing to get credit for the 125 kg snatch. But the jury ruled it was not to be.
That left him with another attempt at 125 kg, but she struggled to stand and dropped the bar behind her. Hubbard waved to the crowd, making a heart with his hands (see below).”
Male to female trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, 43, is out of the Tokyo Olympics after failing on her third lift attempt. https://t.co/XOEo606jcU
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) August 2, 2021
The debate about allowing biological males to compete against women in the Olympics has been raging ever since it was announced the the New Zealand team had chosen the 43 year old Hubbard.
Not quite so closely paid attention to was the talented young woman whose place was taken away; 21 year old Kuinini Manumua.
It would have been her first Olympics and certainly a huge opportunity for her had she been given the chance to show her amazing athleticism.
🚨NEW AMERICAN RECORD!🚨
Nini Manumua breaks clean & jerk record with this 122kg clean & jerk!
Watch #17NYC Live>> bitly/17NYCLive pic.twitter.com/R0yIr0PGSX— USA Weightlifting (@USWeightlifting) June 25, 2017
Instead, Hubbard was thrust into the spotlight and the national debate about whether someone who had been a mediocre weightlifter as a biological man could fairly compete later in life against women.
Belgian super-heavyweight weightlifter Anna Vanbellinghen made a statement saying, “I understand that for sports authorities nothing is as simple as following your common sense and that there are a lot of impracticalities when studying such a rare phenomenon, but for athletes, the whole thing feels like a bad joke.”
As for Hubbard, “she” told BBC News:
“I’m not entirely unaware of the controversy which surrounds my participation at these Games. And as such, I would particularly like to thank the IOC, for I think really affirming its commitment to the principles of Olympism and establishing that sport is something for all people, that it is inclusive and is accessible.”
Luckily for the actual women competing at the Olympics, it would seem that old habits die hard and Hubbard just couldn’t quite overcome the fact that “she” is simply not an elite weightlifter.
While obviously being bigger and stronger than her competitors in New Zealand (what a big surprise) along with a large dose of Leftist hand-waving might be what got “her” into the Olympics, the form and technique simply weren’t there. Now the women are free to actually compete against other high-level athlete women in the sport of women’s weightlifting. What a novel concept.
'We need to keep women competing against women.'
Pioneer of female weightlifting Judy Glenney doesn't support the inclusion of trans women in female sport. This follows the news that trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will compete in Tokyo. pic.twitter.com/03E8L8toqX
— GB News (@GBNEWS) July 24, 2021
It’s doubtful that this is the last that we’ll hear of transgender athletes competing against women. Of course, we don’t have to make the distinction since Female-To-Male trans athletes competing against men doesn’t exist for obvious reasons.
Whether it’s the last we’ll hear of Hubbard remains to be seen however we can hope that next time one of the many talented young female weightlifters that hope to make it to the Olympics is given the opportunity.
"*" indicates required fields
