Penn swimmer Lia Thomas officially qualified for the 500-yard freestyle final at the NCAA women’s swimming and diving championships earlier this afternoon.
Thomas, a transgender athlete, wasn’t sure if she would be competing at the tournament this weekend. However, after receiving clearance, she didn’t waste the opportunity.
Just hours after qualifying for the event, Thomas made NCAA history. She became the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA championship in the sport of swimming, according to a report from the Guardian.
“It means the world to be here, to be with two of my best friends and my teammates, and to be able to compete,” she said after winning the event.
Penn’s Lia Thomas wins the NCAA championship in the 500 free, touching in a season-best 4:33.24: “It means the world to be here, to be with two of my best friends and my teammates, and to be able to compete.” pic.twitter.com/7P2mO6Uyi3
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) March 17, 2022
Thomas formerly swam for the Penn men’s team, which has caused plenty of controversy this season. During the NCAA championships this week, there were a number of protesters outside the Georgia Tech facility. Some reportedly carried banners which read “Save Women’s Sports” in the stands.
“I try to ignore it as much as I can,” Thomas said. “I try to focus on my swimming .. and just try to block out everything else.”
Thomas might not be done making history just yet. She is also the top seed in the 200 freestyle Friday and the 10th seed in the 100 freestyle Saturday.
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