There has never been a publicly out trans athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.

That could all change this year at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

On the latest episode of the Five Rings To Rule Them All podcast, we talk about seven trans athletes we know of hoping for a spot at the Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (we were later notified by Britni de la Cretaz about Quinn, who makes eight, and then by Danielle Warby about Robyn Lambird, who makes nine).

We already know that one athlete — Laurel Hubbard — has qualified for the Olympic Games. She is the first publicly out trans athlete to do so. Still, whether she’ll compete in Tokyo continues to be a mystery.

Previously, there has been at least one Olympic athlete — Caitlyn Jenner — who came out publicly as trans after competing in the Olympic Games. Jenner famously won the men’s decathlon in 1976, as a Wheaties box and reality television followed.

Here are the nine trans Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls we know of:

  • Tiffany Abreu, Brazil, volleyball. By various reports, Abreu is a good enough player to make the Brazil National Volleyball Team, but there are many other women in the same situation. It’s up to the selection committee in Brazil to pick her for the team. Brazil has qualified to have a team in Tokyo.
  • Nikki Hiltz, United States, track and field. Hiltz will be at the U.S. Olympic Trials in late June, having qualified for the 1,500-meter. Now they have to have a good race to be selected to compete at the Olympic Games this year.
  • Laurel Hubbard, New Zealand, weightlifting. Hubbard has qualified for the Olympics, given a shift in qualification requirements. Having experienced injury in the past, her health is a question. Given she doesn’t do interviews, we’ll find out during the selection period.
  • Robyn Lambird, Australia, para-athletics. Lambird has already won medals on the international stage.
  • Ness Murby, Canada, para-athletics. Ness has competed in previous Paralympics. They have a great shot at competing in discus in Tokyo.
  • Valentina Petrillo, Italy, para-athletics. Petrillo has earned a spot with her times. Now, with the Italian Paralympic Committee select her to compete, given she’s trans?
  • Quinn, Canada, soccer. Quinn has been a member of the Canadian Women’s National Team for years, winning a medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
  • CeCé Telfer, United States, track and field. Telfer has an uphill battle, needing to post an Olympic-qualifying time and compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. She previously won the Division 2 national championship.
  • Chelsea Wolfe, United States, BMX. Wolfe has an excellent shot at being named an alternate for Tokyo, and an outside shot at being named a competitor. We’ll find out in June what her status is. Regardless, we expect her to be in Tokyo.

All told, Outsports expects there to be at least 100 publicly out LGBTQ athletes at the Olympic Games, and additional out athletes at the Paralympic Games.

Check back at Outsports for coverage of all of these athletes, as well as so many others who will be part of Team LGBTQ in Tokyo this summer.

You can listen to the conversation about seven of the trans Olympic hopefuls on the Five Rings To Rule Them All podcast on Megaphone, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple podcasts and many more platforms. Just search for Outsports wherever you get your podcast.

And be sure to follow Five Rings To Rule Them All on Twitter.

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