Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas came fifth in the 200 yard freestyle on Friday night – finishing well distant from the winner, despite having broken records in the event earlier in the season.
Thomas, 22, the night before became the first ever transgender athlete to be crowned a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) champion, winning the 500 yard freestyle and knocking Team USA Olympic silver medalist into second.
But on Friday, Thomas – who was second seed for the final – was beaten by four-time Olympic medalist Taylor Ruck, 21, who swims for Canada and Stanford.
Ruck swam 1:41:12 in lane three, while Thomas, next to her in lane four, finished in 1:43:40.
Thomas will race again on Saturday in the 100 yard freestyle – the weakest of her three events.
Taylor Ruck, a Stanford swimmer who has represented Canada at the Olympics, is seen in lane three on Friday night touching the wall to finish with a time of 1:41:12. Thomas can be seen next to her, in lane four – she finished with a time of 1:43:40
Lia Thomas, 22, is pictured left, racing on Thursday. She was beaten on Friday by Taylor Ruck (right)
Thomas and Ruck shake hands on Friday after Ruck won the 200 yard title
Thomas said in a post-swim interview that she tries to ‘ignore’ the criticism. She said: ‘I try to ignore it as much as I can, I try to focus on my swimming, what I need to do to get ready for my races, and I just try to block out everything else’
She will race on Saturday against Anicka Delgado, 19, whose father Felipe – who swam for Ecuador in the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics – criticized NCAA leadership for allowing Thomas to compete.
Anicka represented Ecuador in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and currently competes for the University of Southern California.
Lia Thomas is seen on Thursday evening with her NCAA trophy – the first transgender athlete to win a NCAA title
‘My daughter will be racing Lia Thomas this weekend in the 100 free at women’s @NCAA,’ her father tweeted.
‘I’ll be rooting for my daughter. #fighton.’
He said he felt Thomas was being betrayed by the sport’s leadership.
‘We need to understand that this is NOT Lia’s fault,’ Delgado tweeted.
‘She is playing within the rules that have been set. If anything, this is the fault of those who failed to act when given the opportunity.’
In February USA Swimming ruled that transgender athletes could only compete in women’s events if they had completed 36 consecutive months of testosterone-reduction treatment. The rule would have meant that Thomas could not compete, but the NCAA decided 10 days later that they would only require one year of therapy, arguing that it was unfair to change their rules mid-season.
Delgado, who lives in Mission Viejo, California, and runs the Evolution Swim Academy, said they had missed their chance to avoid the controversy – which has overshadowed the season.
Felipe Delgado, who competed in the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics for Ecuador, on Thursday condemned Thomas’s participation in women’s events. His daughter Anicka (pictured) will race Thomas at the weekend
Anicka Delgado, 19, is seen in action at the Tokyo Olympics. She will race Thomas at the weekend
Delgado is following in the footsteps of her father Felipe, who competed in two Olympics
‘Fault those that out of fear of being cancelled or labeled transphobic, we’re not willing to do the right thing and admit that they were wrong & that much more has to go into this before people like Lia can complete fairly.
‘This will be more hurtful when they go back and have to erase Lia’s accomplishments because of public outcry, loss of revenue, loss of sponsors, and potentially, the loss of women’s sports.
‘What happens when this reaches the international scene & sporting events like the Olympic Games come into play? Then what?’
Delgado pointed the finger of blame at the NCAA leadership, accusing them of cowing from a difficult decision.
‘This is NOT Lia’s fault & standing up for the integrity of women’s sports does not make one transphobic,’ he said.
‘I just wish those that have power know that.’
On Thursday, the swimmer said in a post-swim interview that she ‘ignores’ criticism, after she was greeted with near silence from the crowd following her 500-yard win.
Her fellow top-placed competitors were caught posing together on the podium with their trophies, as Thomas stood off to the side on her first place podium, holding her award.
Lia Thomas (left) was met with near silence on the podium after winning the 500-yard on Thursday. She is seen on the podium as second-placed Emma Weyant – who was met with wild applause – celebrates with Erica Sullivan (third) and Brooke Forde (fourth)
Weyant beams as she is applauded for her second place in Thursday’s race, with many dubbing her the ‘real winner’
The crowd was noticeably more enthusiastic when cheering for the woman who had come second place, Emma Weyant, of the University of Virginia, who swam 4:34.99 in the 500-yard freestyle. Thomas swam a 4.33.24.
While Thomas was given some cheers, boos could also be heard ringing out throughout the spectator stands, as she continues to face allegations that going through male puberty has given her an unfair advantage over her rivals.
‘I try to ignore it as much as I can, I try to focus on my swimming, what I need to do to get ready for my races, and I just try to block out everything else,’ Thomas said after the race, when asked by ESPN about the brutal response.
‘It means the world to be here, to be with two of my best friend and teammates and be able to compete.’
Thomas, whose continued wins and record-breaking performances have made her the world’s most controversial athlete, also roundly defeated fellow swimmers at last month’s Ivy League championships.
The Texan swam for three years on the university’s men’s team before transitioning in 2019.