Lia Thomas swimming transgender

Swimming will set up an ‘open category’ to allow transgender athletes to compete as part of a new policy, but … Image via Getty Images Photographer: Justin Casterline

Lia Thomas: Five things to know about the transgender swimmer

Lia Thomas says she hopes to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Here are five things you need to know about the 22-year-old swimmer.

Lia Thomas swimming transgender

Swimming will set up an ‘open category’ to allow transgender athletes to compete as part of a new policy, but … Image via Getty Images Photographer: Justin Casterline

American swimmer Lia Thomas has been making headlines for her incredible skills in the pool, but that’s not the only reason why she has captured the world’s attention. Thomas is a transgender swimmer who won the 500-yard woman’s freestyle at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) woman’s championships.

Here are five things you need to know about Lia Thomas. 

ALSO READ: Transgender swimmer finishes LAST in final college race

1. LIA THOMAS’ JOURNEY AS A TRANSGENDER WOMAN 

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Lia Thomas said she began questioning her identity towards the end of her high school career. The 22-year-old said she felt “disconnected” from her body. 

Navigating identity in university, Thomas said: “I tried my best to inch closer to coming out to close friends, a couple of coaches. But in that depressive, very struggling state of mind, it’s hard to make progress when so much of my energy was trying to get through each day.” 

After starting hormone replacement therapy in 2019, she said she felt better mentally. “The relief it gave me was quite substantial,” she added.  

2. LIA THOMAS HAS BUILT HER CONFIDENCE AS A TRANS WOMAN 

Speaking on the SwimSwam podcast on 9 December 2021, Lia Thomas shared that she was in an “overall good spot” in her life. 

“I’m feeling confident and good in my swimming and all my personal relationships. Transitioning has allowed me to be more confident in all of those aspects of my life where I was struggling a lot before I came out.” 

3. SHE HAS THE SUPPORT OF HER COACHES AND TEAM 

After parents at the University of Pennsylvania asked the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for Lia Thomas to be ruled ineligible for women’s competitions, the university’s athletics director, Alanna Shanahan stood up for her. 

Shanahan said the school “fully supports all swimming student-athletes and wants to help the community navigate Lia’s success in the pool”. 

She went on to say that the university was an inclusive environment for student-athletes, coaches and staff. 

ALSO READ: Jamie Lee Curtis praised for her support of transgender daughter

4. LIA THOMAS IS MAJORING IN ECONOMICS 

Lia Thomas is majoring in economics at the University of Pennsylvania but she has applied to law school. Thomas hopes to get into civil rights law to advocate for others who have been marginalised. 

While in law school, the talented swimmer will be training for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.

5. ‘YOU ARE NOT ALONE’

While on the SwimSwam podcast, Thomas said the message she wanted to tell other transgender athletes that they are not alone. 

“There are other people going through what you are going [through]. I was helped greatly by a couple of trans athletes who were a few years older than me.”

“And I, in being a visible transgender athlete, want to pass that visibility forward to the younger trans athletes and let them know they’re not alone and they can continue to do the sport that they love.”