A New Zealand weightlifter has become the first openly transgender athlete picked to compete at the Olympics

• A New Zealand weightlifter is set to be the first openly transgender athlete at the Olympic Games.
• Laurel Hubbard, 43, came out as transgender in 2013.
• "I am grateful and humbled by the kindness and support that has been given to me," she said.

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard has become the first openly transgender athlete picked to compete at an Olympic Games.

The 43-year-old was selected to compete in the women's super-heavyweight category in Tokyo.

Hubbard competed in men's events before coming out as transgender in 2013.

She won silver at the 2017 world championships and finished sixth in 2019 after recovering from a serious arm injury at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

"I am grateful and humbled by the kindness and support that has been given to me by so many New Zealanders," Hubbard said in a statement issued Monday by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

"When I broke my arm at the Commonwealth Games three years ago, I was advised that my sporting career had likely reached its end. But your support, your encouragement, and your aroha carried me through the darkness.

"The last 18 months has shown us all that there is strength in kinship, in community, and in working together towards a common purpose. The mana of the silver fern comes from all of you and I will wear it with pride."

Hubbard became eligible to compete at the Olympics in 2015 when the International Olympic Committee changed its rules around transgender athletes.

Under the new rules, people assigned male at birth are permitted to compete in women's events without requiring sex-reassignment surgery if their testosterone levels are below a certain threshold.

Hubbard's testosterone levels fall within the allowed limit. As such, she is able to compete in Tokyo.

Her inclusion is not without controversy, however. Some critics, including fellow competitors, argue that her competing in Tokyo is unfair to cisgender athletes.

Save Women's Sports Australasia, an advocacy group that opposes transgender women's participation in women's sports, criticized Hubbard's selection.

"It is flawed policy from the IOC that has allowed the selection of a 43-year-old biological male who identifies as a woman to compete in the female category," the group said.

Belgian weightlifter Anna Vanbellinghen said last month that allowing Hubbard to compete in Tokyo was "like a bad joke."

"Anyone that has trained weightlifting at a high level knows this to be true in their bones: this particular situation is unfair to the sport and to the athletes," she said, per the BBC.

"Life-changing opportunities are missed for some athletes - medals and Olympic qualifications - and we are powerless."

Alison Heather, a University of Otago professor who focuses her research on the two main sex hormones - estrogen and testosterone - recently told Channel 4 that transgender women who transitioned after going through male puberty could possess biological advantages over other female competitors.

These include the ability to maintain muscle mass, and increased competitiveness, Heather said.

Team New Zealand defended the decision to include Hubbard on its Olympic team, saying the move reflected the team's culture of respect and inclusion.

"We acknowledge that gender identity in sport is a highly sensitive and complex issue requiring a balance between human rights and fairness on the field of play," said Kereyn Smith, the CEO of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

"As the New Zealand Team, we have a strong culture of manaaki and inclusion and respect for all."

Olympic Weightlifting New Zealand's president, Richie Patterson, added: "Laurel has shown grit and perseverance in her return from a significant injury and overcoming the challenges in building back confidence on the competition platform.

"Laurel is an astute student of the sport and technically very good with the lifts. We look forward to supporting her in her final preparations towards Tokyo."