Valentina Petrillo: First Openly Trans Paralympic Runner

Valentina Petrillo made history as the first openly transgender runner to compete in the Paralympics, taking part in the women’s 400m T12 heats on Monday.

Italy’s Petrillo advanced to the semifinals as one of the fastest runners-up, clocking a time of 58.35 seconds.

“From today, I don’t want to hear anything more about discrimination, prejudices against transgender people,” Petrillo said after her heat, according to the Paralympics. “There are many people dying just for being trans; people are killed because they are trans, people commit suicide because they are trans, lose their jobs, or are excluded from sports. But I made it. If I can make it, everyone can.”

Contrary to some reports, Petrillo is not the first transgender Paralympian.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed to CNN that Dutch discus thrower Ingrid van Kranen was a transgender Paralympian when she competed in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, predating Petrillo’s participation in the 2024 Games.

Source: CNN