Transgender athlete wins historic Olympic gold medal in Tokyo

Canada’s Quinn, who goes by a single name and the pronouns “they” and “their”, is the first openly transgender gold medallist.

Canadian footballer Quinn became the first openly transgender athlete to win an Olympic medal on Friday in another trailblazing moment at the Tokyo Games for the marginalised community.

Quinn – who goes by a single name and uses the pronouns “they” and “their” – started the gold-medal match against Sweden, which was won by Canada following a dramatic penalty shootout.

The 25-year-old has a long history with the Canadian team, debuting in 2014 and winning bronze at the 2016 Rio Games, but only came out as transgender last year.

“I wanted to be my authentic self in all spheres of my life and one of those is being in a public space,” Quinn said at the time.

“So that was one of the reasons behind it, because I was tired of being misgendered and everything like that.”

Quinn battles for possession during the gold medal match. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

On top of the world. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

The player’s pioneering status at the Tokyo Games has until now largely been overshadowed by the presence of transgender New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard.

Hubbard, whom the International Olympic Committee acknowledges became the first openly trans woman to compete at the Olympics on Monday – set off a firestorm of debate over her appearance.

Critics argued the New Zealander had physical advantages locked into her body from her developmental years as a male, making it unfair for her to compete against female-born lifters.

However, Hubbard’s Games debut proved anticlimactic in a sporting sense when she failed to complete a lift.

The 43-year-old, who was twice the age of some of her rivals and had not competed internationally since before the coronavirus pandemic, later admitted she was “overwhelmed” to be in the spotlight.

There are no questions about Quinn’s sporting prowess – the player is entering the prime years for a defensive midfielder and lines up at club level alongside top women’s stars such as US star Megan Rapinoe.

Quinn, who plays with the Seattle-based OL Reign in the US National Women’s Soccer League, has also not faced questions about their presence on the Canadian women’s team.

Athletes who transition from female do not attract the same scrutiny because they are not considered to have the inherent physical advantages of those born male.

“I am considered maybe one of the most digestible versions of what it means to be trans,” the player told the club website.

“I’m white, I’m trans-masculine. I want my story to be told because when we have lots of trans visibility that’s where we start making a movement and start making gains in society.”

Gold medallist Quinn interacts with bronze medallist Megan Rapinoe of the United States. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Like Hubbard, Quinn has spoken about the struggles of being transgender in a binary-focused world and being a role model at the Games for young people experiencing similar challenges.

“(I’m) getting messages from young people saying they’ve never seen a trans person in sports before,” Quinn told public broadcaster CBC after Canada shocked tournament favourites USA 1-0 to make the final.

“Athletics is the most exciting part of my life … If I can allow kids to play the sports they love, that’s my legacy and that’s what I’m here for.” After arriving in Tokyo, Quinn reflected on what it meant to appear on sport’s biggest stage as an openly trans athlete.

“I don’t know how to feel. I feel proud seeing ‘Quinn’ up on the line-up and on my accreditation. I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world,” the player posted on social media.

The Canadian expressed optimism about the future but said the trans community still faced harsh realities.

“(There’s) trans girls being banned from sports, trans women facing discrimination and bias while trying to pursue their Olympic dreams.

“The fight isn’t close to over … and I’ll celebrate when we’re all here.”

Goalkeeper save the day in ‘long shootout’

Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe saved two spot-kicks in a nailbiting shootout as Canada defeated Sweden 3-2 on penalties to clinch gold for the first time in Yokohama.

Stina Blackstenius scored her team-best fifth goal of the tournament to give Sweden the lead, but Jessie Fleming’s penalty in the second half sent the match to extra time and it finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Kosovare Asllani hit the post with Sweden’s first attempt and Labbe, the hero of Canada’s quarter-final shootout win over Brazil, denied Anna Anvegard and Jonna Andersson.

Sweden captain Caroline Seger missed a chance to win it when she blazed her team’s fifth kick over, with Deanne Rose keeping Canada alive after three successive misses.

Julia Grosso then squeezed her penalty beyond Hedvig Lindahl to trigger wild celebrations for Canada and their iconic captain Christine Sinclair, who had to settle for bronze medals at the past two Games.

Canada celebrates the victory after the penalty shoot out. (Photo by Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images)

“We wanted to create a moment in Canadian history that would change the game forever, and hopefully we have,” said Canada coach Bev Priestman.

“It was a long shootout, it felt very long, but I said to the group before they went out that Steph’s (Labbe) done it before and she’ll do it again, and she did it. It was unbelievable.”

Defeat for Sweden extended their wait for a first major trophy since the inaugural Women’s European Championship in 1984.

“We had a good feeling during the game that we had a chance to win, so we’re extremely disappointed,” said Sweden forward Fridolina Rolfo.

“I really thought that we should win but then it went to penalties and then everything can happen.”

Sweden, runners-up to Germany in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, entered the final with a perfect five wins from five – including an opening 3-0 rout of the United States.

Four players from that silver medal-winning side five years ago started here; Seger, Lindahl, Sofia Jakobsson and Asllani.

Priestman unsurprisingly stuck with the starting XI that eliminated the USA, four-time Olympic champions, in the semi-finals.

Rolfo, whose goal saw off Australia in the previous round, forced a stop from Labbe with a curling effort from distance before Jakobsson’s header was palmed away.

Hedvig Lindahl of Sweden show her dejection after letting in a penalty. (Photo by Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images)

Sweden grabbed the lead on 34 minutes after Canada midfielder Quinn was dispossessed just inside halfway. Asllani countered and squared for Blackstenius to sweep home via a deflection off Vanessa Gilles.

Canada showed far more attacking intent after the break. Defender Ashley Lawrence had her effort hacked off the line after substitute Rose’s perseverance created the chance following a spill by Lindahl.

Just like in the semi-final against the USA, Canada were awarded a penalty upon review as the 38-year-old Sinclair was caught by a lunging Amanda Ilestedt.

Fleming again stepped forward, this time sending Lindahl the wrong way to bring Canada level. The Chelsea midfielder nearly bagged a quick-fire second, rifling narrowly over moments later.

Rolfo and Asllani wasted chances to win it for Sweden in normal time, and the exertions of playing six matches in 17 days in sweltering conditions made a shootout almost inevitable.

Canada desperately scrambled the ball clear as Sweden threatened to snatch a late winner, but instead they watched the title again elude them in the cruellest of ways.

– AFP