Italian runner Petrillo to become first transgender person in Paralympic history
Italian runner Valentina Petrillo will become the first transgender person in the history of the Paralympic Games, The Guardian reports.
The 50-year-old athlete will take part in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris as part of the Italian team. She will compete in the 200 and 400 meter distances in the category of athletes with visual impairments.
Petrillo made the transition in 2019. She won bronze medals in the 200m and 400m at the world championships last year. Before the transition, Petrillo had won 11 world titles.
In 2015, the International Olympic Committee introduced a rule regarding transgender people: any transgender person can participate in women’s competitions if their testosterone levels do not exceed the permissible value.
The Paralympics in Paris will begin on August 28 and last until September 8.
Source: Lenta
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