Laurel Hubbard at the Commonwealth Games today (Photo: @CheckpointRNZ | Twitter)
One of the most high-profile LGBTI athletes to compete in the Commonwealth Games suffered a horrific injury today.
Laurel Hubbard, 40, was taking part in the women’s, over-90kg weightlifting.
Laurel Hubbard’s participation in the Commonwealth Gamesin Australia has not been without some controversy. The New Zealander previously competed in the men’s competition before transitioning in her mid-30s.
She rose to prominence last year when she won a gold medal at the Australian International & Australian Open in Melbourne. She became the first trans woman to win an international weight lifting title for New Zealand. However, some of the other competitors said her participation was unfair.
However, Hubbard met the eligibility criteria for both that competition, last year’s World Athletics (where she won two silvers) and the Commonwealth Games. Trans athletes are subjected to hormone testing to ensure their testosterone levels match those of other athletes.
Today’s Commonwealth Games
She entered today’s competition as a medal favorite. She got off to a great start, performing a 120kg snatch lift in her first attempt. None of the other competitors were able to match that on their first lift.
She then failed to lift 127kg on her second lift.
On her third lift – an attempt at 132kg – disaster struck. She dropped the weight and winced in pain. She left the podium in obvious discomfort, clutching her elbow.
The perils of weightlifting (👀 the elbow)… #GC2018 pic.twitter.com/zP4mytjcVU
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 9, 2018
Slow motion footage of the lift shows her elbow twisting at a painful angle, leading to speculation that she dislocated it during the lift. She was forced to pull out of the competition because of the injury.
Unfortunately due to injury sustained in her final snatch lift, Laurel Hubbard has had to withdraw from the competition.- always a tough situation for an athlete and our thoughts are with her.#EarnTheFern 🌿 #Weightlifting
— NZ Olympic Team (@nzolympics) April 9, 2018
Hubbard, who has turned down all media request for interview, issued a brief statement via the New Zealand Olympic Team Twitter account: ‘I gave it everything I could. The support from the crowd was amazing.’
“I gave it every thing I could. The support from the crowd was amazing.” – Laurel Hubbard on her DNF in the weightlifting.#EarnTheFern 🌿#Weightlifting
— NZ Olympic Team (@nzolympics) April 9, 2018
Following Hubbard’s withdrawal, Feagaiga Stowers of Samoa took the gold medal, Charisma Amoe-Tarrant took silver and Emily Campbell of England took bronze.
