Laurel Hubbard
Personal information
Born9 February 1978 (1978-02-09) (age 45)[1]
Auckland, New Zealand[2]
Years active1998–present
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportWeightlifting
Medal record
Women's weightlifting
Representing  New Zealand
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2017 Anaheim+90 kg
Pacific Games
Gold medal – first place2019 Apia+87 kg
Commonwealth Championships
Gold medal – first place2017 Gold Coast[lower-alpha 1]+90 kg
Gold medal – first place2019 Apia[lower-alpha 2]+87 kg

Laurel Hubbard (born 9 February 1978) is a New Zealand weightlifter.[3] Selected to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics, she was the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Olympic Games.[4][5] Prior to making her Olympic debut, Hubbard achieved a ranking of 7th in the IWF's women's +87 kg division.[6][5]

Career

While competing in male competitive categories before coming out as transgender, Hubbard set New Zealand junior records in 1998 in the newly established M105+ division in both lifts (snatch 135 kg, clean & jerk 170 kg) as well as total (300 kg).[7] Those records were later surpassed by David Liti.[8] Hubbard has spoken against what she calls "one of the misconceptions that's out there" that she had been training all her life before she transitioned, stating that she ceased lifting in 2001, explaining, "it just became too much to bear ... just the pressure of trying to fit into a world that perhaps wasn't really set up for people like myself".[6]

In 2012, Hubbard transitioned to female.[9][10] She began hormone therapy that year.[6] Hubbard competed in international weightlifting for the first time in 2017.[11]

At the 2017 Australian International & Australian Open in Melbourne, she competed at the heaviest 90 kg+ category, winning the gold medal with a 123 kg snatch and 145 kg clean & jerk, for a total of 268 kg at a bodyweight of 131.83 kg.[12][13] She thus became the first trans woman to win an international weightlifting title for New Zealand.[14][15] Although Hubbard met eligibility requirements to compete, her win was met with criticism, with some other competitors saying the competition was unfair.[16][15][17] Athletes that were critical of the decision to allow Hubbard to compete include Iuniarra Sipaia,[17] Toafitu Perive,[17] Deborah Acason[15] and Tracey Lambrechs.[15] Australian Weightlifting Federation's chief executive, Michael Keelan, said it was unfair to other competitors.[13]

Hubbard qualified for the 2018 Commonwealth Games,[18] but an elbow injury during the competition forced her withdrawal from the event[19] while leading the field.[20] After the injury, Hubbard announced her probable retirement from weightlifting.[6]

Hubbard later returned to the sport, winning two gold medals at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa.[21] The decision to allow Hubbard to compete was subsequently criticised by the Samoa 2019 chairman, Loau Solamalemalo Keneti Sio, and Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi.[22][23]

In 2020 qualification event, she won the gold medal in the women's +87 kg event at the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy.[24]

2020 Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) let the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) set the requirements for transgender weightlifters to compete at the Olympics.[25] Hubbard met all the requirements and on 21 June 2021, the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) confirmed that Hubbard had been selected for the New Zealand Olympic team[4] to compete in the women's +87 kilogram category, becoming the oldest weightlifter to qualify for the games.[26][27] This decision resulted in Hubbard becoming the first openly transgender athlete to be selected to compete in weightlifting at the Olympic Games.[28][29] Transgender athletes have been allowed to compete at the Olympics since 2004, with the current criteria in place since 2015.[29]

The inclusion of Hubbard was welcomed by supporters within the trans community as a step towards more inclusion at the Games.[30][31][28] It was criticised by others. Some athletes, scientists and campaigners said that she had a biological advantage due to having gone through male puberty.[25][32][10] Weightlifters including Anna Van Bellinghen and Tracey Lambrechs were critical of Hubbard's selection,[33][34][35][36] [28][4][37] Charisma Amoe-Tarrant, who qualified in the same category, supported Hubbard's participation.[38] There were public expressions of support from New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, and sport minister Grant Robertson.[28][4] The IOC's Medical and Scientific Director Richard Budgett, has advocated for more research into trans participation in sports.[29]

At 43 she was the fourth oldest weightlifter to compete at the Olympics and was seen as a medal contender.[4] In front of a large contingent of media Hubbard struggled, with three failed snatch lifts, placing last in her group.[39][40][41] Afterwards she thanked the IOC, IWF, NZOC and all her supporters in New Zealand for their encouragement and help throughout the competition.[42][43] Later Hubbard hinted at retirement, saying that age had caught up with her.[44]

Major results

Year Venue Weight Snatch (kg) Clean & Jerk (kg) Total Rank
1 2 3 Rank 1 2 3 Rank
Olympic Games
2021Japan Tokyo, Japan+87 kg120125125------------------DNF[45]
World Championships
2019Thailand Pattaya, Thailand[46]+87 kg120125131414515015482856
2017United States Anaheim, United States[47]+90 kg1201241272nd place, silver medalist(s)14414715142752nd place, silver medalist(s)
Commonwealth Games
2018Australia Gold Coast, Australia[48]+90 kg1201271321---------------DNF
Oceania Championships
2019Samoa Apia, Samoa[49]+87 kg112118125113314314812681st place, gold medalist(s)
2017Australia Gold Coast, Australia[47]+90 kg120127133114014615212731st place, gold medalist(s)
Commonwealth Championships
2019Samoa Apia, Samoa[49]+87 kg112118125113314314812681st place, gold medalist(s)
2017Australia Gold Coast, Australia[47]+90 kg120127133114014615212731st place, gold medalist(s)
Pacific Games
2019Samoa Apia, Samoa[49]+87 kg1121181251st place, gold medalist(s)1331431482nd place, silver medalist(s)2681st place, gold medalist(s)
Arafura Games
2019Australia Darwin, Australia[50]+87 kg110110110------------------DNF
World Masters Games
2017New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand[51]+90 kg120127131113514314912801st place, gold medalist(s)

Personal life

Hubbard's father is Dick Hubbard, a former Mayor of Auckland City[16] and the founder of Hubbard Foods.[52][53]

In 2017, Hubbard told an interviewer that she began participating in weight lifting when she was living as male because she hoped it would enable her to become masculine.[6]

Hubbard rarely gives interviews to the media.[54] Commenting on criticism she receives for participating in women's weightlifting as a transgender athlete, Hubbard said in 2017,

"All you can do is focus on the task at hand and if you keep doing that it will get you through. I'm mindful I won't be supported by everyone but I hope that people can keep an open mind and perhaps look at my performance in a broader context. Perhaps the fact that it has taken so long for someone like myself to come through indicates that some of the problems that people are suggesting aren't what they might seem."[54]

Medalbox notes

References

  1. ↑ Hubbard LaurelNZL Archived 1 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine. International Weightlifting Federation
  2. ↑ "Laurel Hubbard". New Zealand Olympic Team. 24 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Commonwealth Games: Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard set to compete". BBC Sport. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Ingle, Sean (21 June 2021). "Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will be first trans athlete to compete at Olympics". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 Azzi, Alex (22 July 2021). "Soccer player Quinn is the first out trans Olympian, but won't be the last". NBC Sports. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tokyo Olympics: Transgender Olympian Laurel Hubbard's journey to 'just be me'". Stuff. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "New Zealand Interschool's Weightlifting Championship 2014 – Round 6" (PDF). Sporty.co.nz. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "National Records – Olympic Weightlifting New Zealand". 27 November 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  9. ↑ Tariq Panja, Ken Belson, Olympics’ First Openly Transgender Woman Stokes Debate on Fairness, July 31, 2021 (updated August 4, 2021), The New York Times
  10. 1 2 Latham-Coyle, Harry (2 August 2021). "Laurel Hubbard: New Zealand transgender weightlifter in profile". The Independent. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard avoids interviews after silver medals". Stuff. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "2017 Australian International & Australian Open" (PDF). Awf.com.au. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  13. 1 2 Windley, Matt (19 March 2017). "Laurel Hubbard wins female 90kg+ division at weightlifting's Australian International". Herald Sun. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "Weightlifting: Transgender lifter Laurel Hubbard wins first international outing". The New Zealand Herald. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Payne, Marissa (22 March 2017). "Transgender woman wins international weightlifting title amid controversy over fairness". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  16. 1 2 "'She has every right to compete with women': Transgender weightlifter sparks criticism after competition win". Yahoo News Australia. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  17. 1 2 3 "Woman lifter beaten by transgender speaks up". Samoaobserver.ws. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  18. ↑ "Laurel Hubbard – New Zealand Olympic Team". 24 November 2017.
  19. ↑ Tunnicliffe, Bridget (9 April 2018). "Hubbard has no regrets, stays 'true to sport'". Radio New Zealand.
  20. ↑ Helen Davidson (1 January 1970). "Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard's eligibility under scrutiny | Sport". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  21. ↑ "Transgender weightlifter Hubbard beats home favourites at Samoa 2019 after driving incident revealed". Inside the Games. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  22. ↑ "Samoa 2019 chairman enters debate over Hubbard participation at Pacific Games". www.insidethegames.biz. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  23. ↑ "Samoan PM Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi hits out at Laurel Hubbard". Stuff. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  24. ↑ "2020 Roma World Cup" (PDF). Federazione Italiana Pesistica. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  25. 1 2 Belson, Ken; Panja, Tariq (2 August 2021). "In Weight Lifting, a Historic Moment for Transgender Women". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  26. ↑ "Olympics-NZ weightlifter Hubbard to become first transgender athlete to compete at Games". Reuters. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  27. ↑ Jessie Yeung (21 June 2021). "New Zealand weightlifter to become first transgender athlete at Olympic Games". CNN. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  28. 1 2 3 4 "Laurel Hubbard: First transgender athlete to compete at Olympics". BBC News. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  29. 1 2 3 Surtees, Joshua (1 August 2021). "Laurel Hubbard: The reluctant history-maker at the centre of sport's transgender debate". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  30. ↑ "Sports Minister fields dozens of letters about Laurel Hubbard's Olympics selection". RNZ. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  31. ↑ "Support for first New Zealand transgender Olympic athlete Laurel Hubbard grows". NZ Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  32. ↑ "Transgender weightlifter Hubbard's presence in Tokyo unfair: rival". Reuters. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  33. ↑ "Transgender weightlifter Hubbard's presence in Tokyo unfair: rival". Reuters. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  34. ↑ "Tokyo Olympics: Belgian weightlifter Anna Van Bellinghen calls Kiwi Laurel Hubbard's inclusion at Games a joke". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  35. ↑ "Tokyo Olympics: Former weightlifter Tracey Lambrechs condemns selection of transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard". Newshub. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  36. ↑ "Call for two gold medals to be awarded should Hubbard win in Tokyo". RNZ (Radio New Zealand). Reuters. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  37. ↑ Axon, Rachel. "Fairness vs. inclusion: Can Olympic leaders find balance in new rules for transgender athletes?". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  38. ↑ "Australian lifter backs trans Games rival". 7NEWS.com.au. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  39. ↑ Culpepper, Chuck (2 August 2021). "New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard makes Olympic history as a transgender athlete". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  40. ↑ "Tokyo Olympics: Laurel Hubbard out of weightlifting after failing to register successful lift". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  41. ↑ Pavitt, Michael (2 August 2021). "Laurel Hubbard makes history but no lifts as Olympic appearance ends prematurely". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  42. ↑ Axon, Rachel. "New Zealand's Laurel Hubbard makes history as first transgender woman to compete at Olympics". USA TODAY. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  43. ↑ "New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard makes Olympic history as a transgender athlete". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  44. ↑ "Tokyo Olympics 2020: Kiwi transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard hints at retirement after making Games history". NZ Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  45. ↑ Note: DNF = Did not finish or successfully lift the weight
  46. ↑ "2019 World Weightlifting Championship Results Book" (PDF). International Weightlifting Federation. IWF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  47. 1 2 3 "HUBBARD Laurel NZL". Athletes search results. IWF – International Weightlifting Federation. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  48. ↑ "Commonwealth Games Results Book" (PDF). Gold Coast 2018 Official Website. GOLDOC. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  49. 1 2 3 "2019 Pacific Games, Oceania & Commonwealth Championships Results Book" (PDF). Oceania Weightlifting Federation Website. IWF. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  50. ↑ "Arafura Games Results Book" (PDF). Arafura Games 2019 Official Website. AGOC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  51. ↑ "2017 World Masters Games" (PDF). IWF – Masters Weightlifting. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  52. ↑ "Dick Hubbard: The cereal socialist". The Independent. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  53. ↑ Hutching, Chris (27 June 2018). "Billionaire family purchase some of NZ's best-known food brands". Stuff. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  54. 1 2 "New Zealand weightlifter becomes 1st openly transgender athlete to compete at Olympics". TODAY.com. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
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