Still, Thomas was bombarded with countless jabs on social media and some in-person taunts at the NCAA championships in Atlanta. It's not right for swimmers such as Weyant. Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms of use and Privacy Policy. 1 - 877-SWIMFAST (794-6327) RT @Y0L0Jo: The NCAA told swimmer Paula Scanlan and her teammates, You will regret it if they spoke out against male competitor William Lia Thomas. He earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. In the 20212022 season, those ranks are now, when competing in the women's team, fifth in the 200 freestyle, first in the 500 freestyle, and eighth in the 1650 freestyle. Is it fair? Yet, despite all the controversy, she said all of her fellow swimmers do the best they can to tune out the noise even if they are hurting on the inside. Thomas 8 Comments. Russian Finger. In the final for the 200 freestyle, Thomas placed fifth with a time of 1:43.50. These are monumental achievements and evidence Thomas was snubbed as Woman of the Year.. Her mark was also a new program record. Tennis Schedule Roster. Will Thomas Becomes Lia Thomas & Is However, Swimmers journey to becoming an Olympic champion was far from easy. In March 2022, she became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport, after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle event. "[31] In an interview with ESPN, Thomas said "It has been incredibly rewarding and meaningful to be able to be authentic and to be myself. A post shared by UPenn Swimming & Diving (@pennswimdive). He had always enjoyed swimming, but he had never considered it as a serious sport. But despite his love for sports, he was never considered a talented athlete. Thomas was a good swimmer for the mens team, posting the Quakers best times in the 500 free, 1,000 free and 1,600 free in 2019. WebFor three yearsWill Thomas was a successful swimmer in the Ivy Leagues at Penn. But having Thomas, born a male, compete against biological females will slowly ruin the integrity of womens sports. He proved that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and never give up. It appears her stand has instilled courage in another female swimmer who suffered from the presence of "trans athlete" Lia Thomas in the womens division of NCAA swimming. [2][5] She began using her new name on New Year's Day in 2020. Lia Catherine Thomas (born 1999 or 2000)[2] is an American swimmer. He covers primarily Big Country high school sports. [12][47] Another swimmer, Olympic silver medalist Erica Sullivan, spoke in support of Thomas in an opinion piece for Newsweek: "like anyone else in this sport, Lia has trained diligently to get to where she is and has followed all of the rules and guidelines put before her she doesn't win every time. WebFor three yearsWill Thomas was a successful swimmer in the Ivy Leagues at Penn. The athletic department did not talk to us once. The idea of a separate category for transwomen athletes is an imperfect answer, but it may be the best we can devise. Carson Field is the area sports reporter for the Abilene Reporter-News. After undergoing hormone suppressant therapy, William Thomas reemerged as Lia Thomas and started dominating womens collegiate swimming. According to a UCLA study in 2016, 1.4 million adults in the United States identified as transgender,up from 700,000 in 2007. It appears her stand has instilled courage in another female swimmer who suffered from the presence of "trans athlete" Lia Thomas in the womens division of NCAA swimming. 2017-18: Ivy League Championships qualifier in 500 free (A final), 1000 free (A final), 1650 free (A final). Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. !, KILLING WOMANS SPORT, KICK EM OUT THEY ARESTILL MALES!!! Will Thomas Listed at 6-foot-1, Thomas towers over Weyant (5-8) and Sullivan (5-7). WebUse the convenient online form below to provide us with your contact information and a representative from Competition Swimming will contact you, or call us at the phone number listed below. We kind of want to leave it out of swimming. Bulgarian Ammo Warehouses Explode Spoiling EU-Ukraines Sneaky Scheme. Finding a solution to this problem is not facilitated by calling people names, like loser. Cisgender women have the right to express their concerns, and those should be respectfully addressed without reverting to some reflexive liberal ideological stance, but conservatives should also put away their ideological blinkers, and give some honest thought to the issue. swimmer Apparently, it was known for about two years that William Thomas would eventually be swimming as Lia Thomas with the females. The first event Swimmy competed in was the 100-meter freestyle. Theres not really tension on deck, but we all really talk about it, a lot on our free time.. According to the Penn swimming archives, Will Thomas last competed for the mens team on November 16, 2019. Whether youre an athlete, a student, or someone pursuing a dream, Swimmers journey teaches us that success is within reach if were willing to work for it. Swimmer She would've earned both silver and bronze awards at the 2021 NCAA Championshiphad Will Thomas been competing as Lia Thomas. [63] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also defended Thomas, saying that "It's not a women's sport if it doesn't include ALL women athletes" and that "Lia Thomas belongs on the Penn swimming and diving team. William Thomas He believed in himself and his abilities, and he surrounded himself with a supportive team of people who encouraged him every step of the way. swimming She also said that swimming is therapeutic for her and most swimmers on the team. Levine handled the pandemic as poorly as anyone in America, as the numbers both from Pennsylvania and at the federal level testify. [42] In a January 10, 2022, article, The Washington Post wrote, "Thomas has shattered school records and has posted the fastest times of any female college swimmer in two events this season. So how are the biological women supposed to beat Thomas? P.O. Hudson, Ohio 44236. The race started, and Swimmy took the lead. (1/3) Required fields are marked *. Penn senior Lia Thomas, a trans woman, won the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle races at the Ivy League Women's Swimming and Diving Championships this week. But despite his love for sports, he was never considered a talented athlete. I am Lia. Oh yeah follow the science.) literally stomping on every woman he competes against. She swept the 100-200-500 free individual events and contributed to the first-place 400 free relay, according to SwimSwam.com, a website dedicated to collegiate swimming. One year of testosterone suppression treatment and you can get right out there with the women and kick their asses. Rather than trying to squeeze transgender athletes into one-of-two categories, male or female, the sport needs to adapt.. Born William Thomas, Lia previously competed for Penns mens swimming team before coming out as a trans woman in 2019. And nobody cares about how this is affecting us at all, she said. Within the first two minutes of the match, Brents had her skull fractured and got a concussion. Swim Beginning in 2021, she became part of the public debate about transgender women in sports. His older brother, Wes, in 2016 as a senior at Penn, was 8th in If there is no international federation policy, previously established IOC policy criteria would be followed. The following day, Swimmy competed in the 200-meter freestyle. CompetitionSwimming.com. A trans female treated with testosterone suppression medication may continue to compete on a mens team but may not compete on a womens team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one year of testosterone suppression treatment, the NCAAs policy states. Born William Thomas, Lia previously competed for Penns mens swimming team before coming out as a trans woman in 2019. May 8, 2023 0 71 The Rise of an Underdog: william thomas swimmer William Thomas Swimmer had always been a passionate athlete. And if not for Thomas, many Americans would not be aware men can compete as women in collegiate sports. [54] On March 22, Florida governor Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation declaring second-place finisher Emma Weyant the "rightful winner" of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Women's 500-yard Freestyle,[55] although he does not have the authority to select the winner of the NCAA championship. M Swimming and Diving at Ivy League Championships Day One Feb 23 6th of 8 (248 pts.) Since he was a young boy, he would spend hours playing sports with his friends and family. He earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors. "[29], "Lia Thomas's Swimming Is Getting Swamped in Others' Fears", "Lia Thomas says she transitioned to be happy, not to win swimming titles", "As Lia Thomas Swims, Debate About Transgender Athletes Swirls", "How an Ivy League swimmer became the face of the debate on transgender women in sports", "Sport's trans issue is here to stay. Girls/Womens sports shouldve fought harder to keep this stuff out. Will Thomas Because he could NOT win in competition with men he has chosen the easy way out. The University of Pennsylvaniaswimmer placed firstin the 500freestyle finals Thursday at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, becoming the first openly transgender athlete to win a Division I national championship. View our. [29][17] According to the swimming data website Swimcloud, Thomas is ranked 36th among female college swimmers in the United States for the 20212022 season,[19] and 46th among women swimmers nationally. He spent hours practicing his strokes and building up his endurance in the pool. Lia Thomas, as she is now known, began her swimming career at the age of five. He had won two Olympic gold medals in two days. Thomas Yeah, she said, Thats what it seems like, because they didnt talk to any of us.. This policy alignment provides consistency and further strengthens the relationship between college sports and the U.S. Olympics.. I think they just said that because we were all training together, she said. Swimmer Will Thomas, a native of Austin, Texas, competed for the Penn mens swimming team for three seasons before taking off the pandemic year. Granted, it is my belief only actual women should win any Woman of the Year awards. The schools administrators did offer counseling sessions, so to speak, and said they would listen to the team if any swimmers were emotionally distraught. Track & Field Schedule Roster. The race was neck and neck, and Swimmy could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Swimmer This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A University of Pennsylvania womens swimmer named Lia Thomas, who used to go by Will as a member of the mens swimming team, is smashing records and has many wondering if Olympic superstar Katie Ledecky will be soon losing races to a transgender competitor. And it definitely weighs on my mind a lot because its definitely hard to overcome the feeling of feeling completely overlooked, as if the NCAA just does not care about us at all. Skiing Schedule Roster. A University of Pennsylvania womens swimmer named Lia Thomas, who used to go by Will as a member of the mens swimming team, is smashing records and has many wondering if Olympic superstar Katie Ledecky will be soon losing races to a transgender competitor. Will Thomas. Despite this, Swimmy had a passion for swimming since he was a child, and he made it his mission to become the best swimmer he could be. For more on key topics from the 2022 NCAA Convention, visit ncaa.org/convention. He showed them that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard. Like the Olympics, the updated NCAA policy calls for transgender participation for each sport to be determined by the policy for the national governing body of that sport, subject to ongoing review and recommendation by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports to the Board of Governors. Lacrosse Schedule Roster. Will Thomas, who only recently changed his gender to Lia Thomas, basically defeated biological female swimmers. swimmer Statement regarding our womens swimmer, Lia Thomas. 2019-20: Competed in four of Penns eight regular season events Won the 500 free against Villanova (Nov. 15). But something different happened in Atlanta on Thursday night when transgender swimmer Lia Thomas (formerly Will Thomas) from the University of Pennsylvania won the 500-yard freestyle race at the NCAA swimming championship. Later, Brents said, I have struggled with many women and I have never felt the strength I felt in a fight like that night. She added, I have never felt so dominated in my life and I am an abnormally strong woman in my own right.. Actually, there should be a law enacted where these confused creatures are Banned from All female competitions and their Own categories created. Squash Schedule Roster. He was small in stature and lacked the physical prowess of his peers. Transgender student-athletes will need to document sport-specific testosterone levels beginning four weeks before their sports championship selections. At some point during 2020Will Thomas transitioned into Lia Thomasand returned to Penn to compete on the women's swim team.Lia Thomas is dominating the competition. [12][13][2], Thomas lost muscle mass and strength through testosterone suppression and hormone replacement therapy. [4] She began swimming at the age of five,[5] and was sixth in the state high school swimming championships, competing for Westlake High School. Maybe they should worry less about labels and words and more about the fact that theyre digging their own graves and handing their executioners the guns by straddling that particular fence. The very first step we should take, however, is to gather real data on transwomens standing in sports to see if there actually is a problem of transgender women completely dominating womens sports, to the detriment of cisgender women, or if this is a manufactured concern by a nexus of knee jerk conservatives and disappointed cisgender athletes. He pursued his passion for swimming with everything he had and proved to the world that even the underdog can rise to greatness. Jumping to judgement based on political partisanship is not helpful. [4] In 2017, she started attending the University of Pennsylvania. I fear this will only get worse if trans athletes such asThomas, with significant biological advantages, begin to dominate womens sports. His best SCY times are: Thomas would have scored in the2016 Ivy League B final of the 500 free and the C final of the 200 free. His older brother, Wes, in 2016 as a senior at Penn, was 8th in William Thomas Swimmer had always been a passionate athlete. William Thomas [14][15] Thomas's event progression peaked in 2019 for distance swimming, with a drop in times during the 202122 season. Womens sports already are under-covered. During the 2018-19 season, Will was second-team All-Ivy League in the 500 freestyle, 1,000 free and 1,650 free. At the age of 15, Swimmy entered his first swimming competition and finished last. He dove into the pool determined to win. Sports should be off limits. Not even for the last two years, when they knew it was going to happen. Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo. In conclusion, Swimmys journey from zero to hero is a testament to the power of determination and hard work. WebIce Hockey Schedule Roster. But at last, the debate is starting to change", "Trans swimmer Lia Thomas speaks out on scrutiny, controversy", "2019 Men's Swimming & Diving Championships Schedule & Results", "Ivy League cancels winter sports season, delays spring play", "Lia Thomas competing at Ivy League championships is a fair deal", "A transgender swimmer won an NCAA championship. In mens 200 freestyle, Will Thomas was ranked in the mid-500. Shespent her entire life dreaming of winning a national title, just for someone five inches taller and born a male to snatch the gold medal from her. Swimmers rise to Olympic glory is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and perseverance. This could give them an opportunity to compete against other transitioning athletes. But it wasnt until Swimmer discovered swimming that he truly found his calling. Swimmer Agreed 1000%. But despite his love for sports, he was never considered a talented athlete. Will Thomas, who only recently changed his gender to Lia Thomas, basically defeated biological female swimmers. However, it was described more like a consolation session, because even though the swimmers could talk to them, there was nothing the administrators could do to address any problems. He also surrounded himself with a supportive team of family and friends who encouraged him to keep pushing forward. Any negativity should be directed toward the NCAA, not the human being whofollowed the rules. In an interview with Sports Illustrated she said, "In a way, it was sort of a rebirth, for the first time in my life, feeling fully connected to my name and who I am and living who I am. [4] In 2017, she started attending the University of Pennsylvania. He committed to swim at Ivy League member Penn after his high school career. The report assists ongoing membership efforts to support inclusion, fairness, and the mental and physical health of transgender and non-binary student-athletes in collegiate sport. May 8, 2023 0 71 The Rise of an Underdog: william thomas swimmer William Thomas Swimmer had always been a passionate athlete. M Swimming and Diving at Ivy League Championships Day One Feb 23 6th of 8 (248 pts.) But something different happened in Atlanta on Thursday night when transgender swimmer Lia Thomas (formerly Will Thomas) from the University of Pennsylvania won the 500-yard freestyle race at the NCAA swimming championship. Not the person who oversaw a record number of people dying from a pandemic. A March study announced by Cytel, a multinational contracted research organization, reported52% of trans youth considered suicidethe past year. A University of Pennsylvania womens swimmer named Lia Thomas, who used to go by Will as a member of the mens swimming team, is smashing records and has many wondering if Olympic superstar Katie Ledecky will be soon losing races to a transgender competitor. Lacrosse Schedule Roster. Wrestling Schedule Roster. But Swimmer refused to give up. After competing for three years on the mens team as William Thomas, Thomas decided to identify as a woman and took a year off from school. He pushed himself harder than he ever had before and touched the wall first. M Swimming and Diving at Ivy League Championships Day One Feb 23 6th of 8 (248 pts.) Additionally, the NCAAs Office of Inclusion and the Sport Science Institute released the Gender Identity and Student-Athlete Participation Summit Final Report (PDF). WebIce Hockey Schedule Roster. Yeah, its definitely really stressful. But yet somehow, these are the rules and allowed., Asked if Daily Mail reports that the team has set aside their differences" were true, she said, "not at all., They were just taking pictures of us at a training trip. A woman who comes first, right? [5], Brooke Forde, an Olympic silver medalist, said of Thomas that: "I believe that treating people with respect and dignity is more important than any trophy or record will ever be, which is why I will not have a problem racing against Lia at NCAAs this year". [2] [5] On the men's swim team in 20182019, Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle at the Ivy League championships as a sophomore in 2019. There were plenty of actual women who had significant accomplishments over the year and are deserving of the award. Would have been a lock for the 1980s East German Olympic team. He should be Castrated if he wants to compete with real women. Born William Thomas, Lia previously competed for Penns mens swimming team before coming out as a trans woman in 2019. Thomas [56] Transgender former athlete Caitlyn Jenner said that Thomas was not the "rightful winner", adding "It's not transphobic or anti-trans, it's common sense! Swimmers Olympic journey was nothing short of remarkable. NC States Kylee Alons is the most decorated swimmer in Wolfpack history and was present for the 2022 National Championships. and never miss an insightful take by the TFIGlobal team, This website uses cookies. Apparently, it was known for about two years that William Thomas would eventually be swimming as Lia Thomas with the females. WebUse the convenient online form below to provide us with your contact information and a representative from Competition Swimming will contact you, or call us at the phone number listed below. The Remarkable Journey Of William Thomas Swimmer: From Underestimated Athlete To Olympic Blooming Beauty: A Floral Journey Through Holland Ridge Farms, The 8 Greatest Media Gamers for the Steam Deck, Native American Financial institution donates 25 bikes for youths at Denver Indian Middle, Iran Dismisses Claims On Set up Of Surveillance Cameras At Isfahan Nuclear Plant, Black-ish Star Yara Shahidi to Be Honored at Maui Movie Pageant. They did not try and say anything or do anything to help us. I mean isnt it obvious? Swimmers journey as an athlete began when he enrolled in his high schools track and field team. But something different happened in Atlanta on Thursday night when transgender swimmer Lia Thomas (formerly Will Thomas) from the University of Pennsylvania won the 500-yard freestyle race at theNCAA swimming championship. Judge casts doubt on Trump effort to move Bragg case from state to federal court, Three Democratic strongholds Republicans must win in 2024, Donald Trump claims he had 'no documents' in leaked audio recording: 'It was bravado', Kamala Harris open to 'Freedom' line with Converse, Republican voters declare who the real Christian presidential candidate is, Supreme Court rules against North Carolina GOP in congressional map fight, GOP presidential candidate Francis Suarez fumbles foreign policy question. Thomas We explain how Lia Thomas would've been mainstream news two years agoand give the reason she isn't mainstream news today. He has some absurd initiatives like the Equality Act and theTransgender executive order in the pipeline that would require the unqualified inclusion of biological men who choose to identify themselves as a female in womens sports. Squash Schedule Roster. As a human being, Thomas should have the right to play sports. It appears her stand has instilled courage in another female swimmer who suffered from the presence of "trans athlete" Lia Thomas in the womens division of NCAA swimming. This has exasperated many of the swimmers. (LogOut/ RT @Y0L0Jo: The NCAA told swimmer Paula Scanlan and her teammates, You will regret it if they spoke out against male competitor William Lia Thomas. NC States Kylee Alons is the most decorated swimmer in Wolfpack history and was present for the 2022 National Championships. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. His senior season at WestlakeWill Thomas took fourth in the 500 free at the 2016 6A Texas State Meet. Will Thomas, who only recently changed his gender to Lia Thomas, basically defeated biological female swimmers. I know some girls went and talked about their feelings about the whole thing with one of the administrators. At the time, her name was Will Thomas, and she used to compete in male swimming competitions. Theyre riddled with unoriginal comments like no one cares or kitchen from insecure teenage guys who probably didnt make their schools JV team. swimmer M Swimming and Diving at Ivy League Championships Day Two Feb 24 7th of 21 (232 pts.) William Thomas Swimmer Just look at Instagram comments for literally any ESPN post about womens sports. Her 4:35:06 in the 500 freestyle wouldve been good for bronze at the 2021 Championships. Starting with the 2022-23 academic year, transgender student-athletes will need documented levels at the beginning of their season and a second documentation six months after the first. He also swam for Lost Creek Aquatics and specializes in distance freestyle. Whether or not you agree with her participation in womens swimming (or her identification as a female), Thomas is a human being and should be treated like one. Its supposed to be therapeutic when we swim. Thomas brought unprecedented attention to womens collegiate swimming this year, albeit for the wrong reasons. The university routinely mentions women shattering the glass ceiling. Yet, in the case of the Penn female swimmers, the Ivy League university is forcing them to live under one. Reka Gyorgy, the female swimmer who lost out on a finals position because of William Thomas participation, wrote in her letter to the NCAA: With all due respect, I would like to address something that is a problem in our sport right now and hurting athletes, especially female swimmers.. Her time for the 500 freestyle is over 15 seconds slower than her personal bests before medically transitioning. Moreover, they would not be aware of the significant biological advantages that men have, even after hormone therapy, and how they are taking away opportunities from actual women and thus harming women's sports. [52] On day 2 of the championships, around 10 protesters from the group "Save Women's Sports" protested during the preliminaries of the women's 500-yard freestyle. Depending on where you get your news, youve probably heard media outlets praise Lia Thomas as a hero or condemn her as a villain. You dont think the WNBA is going to gatekeep this stuff? He committed to swim at Ivy League member Penn after his high school career. Swimmy qualified for the Olympics when he was 21 years old. William Thomas was a crappy swimmer who never won medals so he decided to play dress up and identify as a woman and now hes a champion! The Taiwan-China Conundrum: Decoding the Ongoing Crisis, Good News: Ukraine has F-16s. We feel better, she said. Thomas Will Thomas Becomes Lia Thomas & Is We love you. [33][34][35][36] In response to the decision, Thomas said: "The new FINA release is deeply upsetting. Full implementation would begin with the 2023-24 academic year. (1-20-22) Will Thomas is a 2017 graduate of Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. [26] In the preliminaries for the 200 freestyle, Thomas finished second. 1 - 877-SWIMFAST (794-6327) He committed to swim at Ivy League member Penn after his high school career. Yet, a comparison between Levine and Thomas will show Thomas is more deserving. A University of Pennsylvania female swimmer is speaking out about the treatment of her team and how it has been neglected by the athletic department. swimming And this is where the big debate begins. After undergoing hormone suppressant therapy, William Thomas reemerged as Lia Thomas and started dominating womens collegiate swimming. Thomas was ranked in the mid-500s of the mens swimming rankings that year. [4] In 2017, she started attending the University of Pennsylvania. 3:40.35. South. They will also need documented testosterone levels four weeks before championship selections. Bad News: They dont know how to fly, Transgender Athletes create such big records in Ivy League Championship that its unsurmountable for XX chromosomes, How far left teachers in the red state of Idaho successfully encouraged students to go, transgender.