Won Women's Event by About 3 Seconds Ahead of Runner-Up
Women's Sports Community Pushes Back: "Participation Should Not Be Allowed"
A swimmer who transitioned from male to female has sparked controversy after sweeping victories at the U.S. national championships.
On May 1 (local time), the Daily Mail reported that Ana Caldas, 47, participated in the U.S. Masters Swimming competition held in San Antonio, Texas, at the end of last month and secured first place in five individual events.
She was originally a male swimmer named Hugo Caldas. During her time as a male athlete, she also competed in collegiate men's events under the stage name "Hanna."
At this competition, Caldas won the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 29.74 seconds, finishing about three seconds ahead of the runner-up. She also took first place in all other individual events for women aged 45-49, including the 100-yard breaststroke, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard individual medley.
This has led to backlash from the women's sports community. Former swimmer Riley Gaines criticized the situation on X, stating, "This ignores the executive order by President Donald Trump that bans transgender athletes from competing in women's sports."
A spokesperson for the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) also commented, "The gap between Caldas and the other competitors is absolutely insane," adding, "Allowing men to participate in women's swimming competitions through testosterone suppression should not be permitted."
ICONS reportedly sent a letter to the U.S. Masters Swimming Committee (USMS), asserting that allowing Caldas to compete violated competition policy.
The participation of transgender athletes in women's events has long been a source of controversy within the sports world. This is because, like Caldas, transgender athletes' physical abilities are often considered closer to those of men.
Last year, American swimmer Lia Thomas, 24, who transitioned through hormone therapy without surgery, filed a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking permission to compete in women's events. This legal action was in response to the International Swimming Federation's strengthened regulations, which effectively banned transgender athletes from participating in women's competitions.
Since 2022, the International Swimming Federation has changed its rules to allow only athletes who completed their gender transition before the age of 12 to compete in women's events. Previously, athletes could participate if their testosterone levels were kept below a certain threshold.
In March, at the Cherry Blossom Tournament women's fencing event held in Maryland, Stephanie Turner, 31, forfeited her match against transgender athlete Redmond Sullivan by removing her mask and kneeling at the start of the bout, resulting in her disqualification.
At the time, Turner stated, "I respect Sullivan, but I chose this form of protest because USA Fencing has not listened to women's voices regarding gender eligibility policies," adding, "I fully support President Donald Trump's efforts to prevent transgender athletes from participating in women's sports."
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