Swimmer says her NCAA finals spot was ‘taken away’ by transgender athlete Lia Thomas

A college swimmer and former Olympian has penned an explosive open letter describing her hurt and frustration at a controversial decision.

A university student who missed out on competing in the 500-yard women’s freestyle finals last week claims her spot was “taken away” by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.

Virginia Tech swimmer Reka Gyorgy finished 17th in the preliminary heats of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships in Atlanta last Thursday, meaning she missed out on the following day’s semi-finals by one place.

Thomas went on to win the event, making history as the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA top-tier title after touching the wall in 4:33.24, more than a second-and-a-half clear of Virginia’s Emma Weyant, who finished in 4:34.99.

In a statement published to social media on Sunday, Gyorgy expressed her frustration at the NCAA’s controversial decision to “let someone who is not a biological female compete”.

WOW: Virginia Tech swimmer Reka Gyorgy says her finals spot was stolen from her by Lia Thomas because of "the @NCAA's decision to let someone who is not a biological female to compete." pic.twitter.com/vrtEfqZ0LW

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) March 20, 2022

“This is my last college meet ever and I feel frustrated,” she said.

“I know you could say I had the opportunity to swim faster and make the top 16, but this situation makes it a bit different and I can’t help but be angry or sad. It hurts me, my team and other women in the pool. One spot was taken away from the girl who got ninth in the 500 free and didn’t make it back to the A final preventing her from being an All-American. Every event that transgender athletes competed in was one spot taken away from biological females throughout the meet.”

The 25-year-old, who competed in the 200-metre backstroke at the 2016 Rio Olympics, stressed that she respected and “fully stands with Lia Thomas”.

“I am convinced that she is no different than me or any other D1 swimmer who has woken up at 5am her entire life for morning practice,” she wrote.

“She has sacrificed family vacations and holidays for a competition. She has pushed herself to the limit to be the best athlete she could be. She is doing what she is passionate about and deserves that right. On the other hand, I would like to critique the NCAA rules that allow her to compete against us, who are biologically women.”

Lia Thomas, left, of the University of Pennsylvania stands on the podium after winning the 500-yard freestyle as other medallists Emma Weyant, Erica Sullivan and Brooke Forde pose for a photo. Picture: Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Gyorgy said the focus of the meet had been on “reporters, media and division in our sport” rather than achievements such as “two women going under 21 seconds in the 50 freestyle, three women going under 50 seconds in the 100 butterfly and the first woman in history to go under 48 seconds in the 100 backstroke”.

“Thursday was not a specific athlete’s fault,” she said. “It is the result of the NCAA and their lack of interest in protecting athletes.”

Another Virginia Tech swimmer had made apparent reference to Gyorgy in an interview last week, saying her teammate was “very emotional” about being “just bumped out”.

“We are all very disappointed and frustrated with someone who has capabilities more than us women have to be able to compete at this level and take opportunities away from other women,” she told podcast host Savanah Hernandez.

“It’s heartbreaking to see someone who went through puberty as a male and has the body of a male be able to absolutely blow away the competition, and you go away with the mindset that you don’t have a chance. It’s hard to compete against someone with the aerobic capacity, the muscle development, the body of a man.”

Lia Thomas speaks after the preliminary heats of the 500 yard freestyle during the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. Picture: Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

According to Braden Keith, the editor-in-chief of swimming website SwimSwam, parents in attendance clapped Thomas after her win.

“Virginia parents showing class where so many have not today, applauding Lia Thomas on the podium,” Keith tweeted.

“Until we can stop the hate and the vitriol and the transphobia, we can’t have real conversations. Real conversations and real solutions have to start with compassion.”

Thomas has dominated US women’s college swimming recently as a student athlete at the University of Pennsylvania, where just a few years ago she competed as a male.

Her case has divided opinion, with some, including several teammates, arguing she has an unfair physiological advantage and should be barred from competing, while others say she should be allowed to compete freely as a woman.

Thomas has been allowed to compete this season because she had been taking testosterone suppression treatment for more than a year. She was ruled eligible to compete at this year’s Ivy League championships as eligibility requirements are now left up to individual sports.

Virginia Tech swimmer competing in this year’s NCAA championship details how her teammate was brought to tears after her place in the finals was taken by Lia Thomas: pic.twitter.com/mow56mVp1W

— Sav (@RapidFire_Pod) March 17, 2022

Speaking after her victory on Friday, Thomas said she had attempted to mute the controversy surrounding her rise to dominance in college swimming this season.

“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 try to block out everything else,” Thomas said after the race at the McAuley Aquatic Centre.

“I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations for this meet. I was just happy to be here, trying to race and compete as best as I could. It means the world to be here, to be with two of my best friends and teammates and to be able to compete.”

Thomas had advanced to the final after posting the quickest time in morning preliminaries.

She had a disappointing showing in subsequent events, however.

Thomas finished fifth in Friday’s 200-yard freestyle final, an event where she had the top seeding and had been favoured to win, with a time of 1:43.40.

On Saturday night she finished dead last in the 100-yard freestyle final with a time of 48.18, despite entering the race with the fourth-fastest time.

It was the final race of her collegiate career.

— with AFP