Get to know Laurel Hubbard: 5 facts about the groundbreaking openly transgender Olympian
For the Tokyo Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. Leading up to the Opening Ceremony, we’re highlighting 23 athletes in 23 days. Up next up is Laurel Hubbard.
Laurel Hubbard’s selection to New Zealand’s Olympic team — to compete in women’s weightlifting at the super-heavyweight 87+kg class — has been controversial: The International Olympic Committee only affirmed it would back her selection to the team on July 17th, not even a week before the Tokyo games were slated to begin.
Hubbard, 43, will join Canadian soccer player Quinn as the first openly transgender athletes to compete in the Olympics. A third openly transgender athlete, Chelsea Wolfe, is an alternate on the U.S. BMX freestyle team.
Here are five facts to know about Hubbard as she makes history in Tokyo.