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Valentina Petrillo, the Italian transgender sprinter whose participation in the Paralympic Games has sparked significant controversy, expressed her hope that her son would be proud of her after she narrowly missed qualifying for the women’s T12 400m final on Monday night.
Petrillo finished third in her semi-final, with only the top two advancing to the final to compete against Cuba’s Omara Durand. The 51-year-old acknowledged that her competitors were ultimately “stronger than me,” but she remained proud of her efforts. Overcome with emotion, she cut short her post-race press conference as she fought back tears.
Valentina Petrillo Italian Transgender Sprinter Reflects on Her Journey After Emotional Semifinal
“I gave it my all until the very end, but I didn’t make it, missing the last straight,” Petrillo said. “I pushed harder than I did this morning, but they were stronger. I had to push down too much, aiming for 56 seconds. With 57.50, I have to be content, even if I’m feeling a bit down.”
Reflecting on her journey, Petrillo added, “I’m a little down, but I hope my son will be proud of me. That’s important to me because he has a trans dad, not the father everyone imagines. But I hope he will be proud of me.”
Valentina Petrillo competes in the T12 category for visually impaired athletes, having developed Stargardt disease, a degenerative eye condition, as a child. After a successful career as a male para-athlete, she underwent a gender transition later in life, which has brought her under scrutiny and challenge from some female para-athletes. Despite a petition by over 30 athletes to remove her from female competition, the World Para Athletics Association’s rules allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s events if they are legally recognized as female. This contrasts with the approach of World Athletics, which prioritizes “fairness for female athletes” in determining eligibility for the Olympics.
Petrillo Prepares for T12 200m Heats as Controversy Surrounds Her Participation
Earlier in the day, after advancing from the first-round heats, Petrillo described her performance as “the realization of history,” and declared, “Let’s mark this day, September 2nd, 2024, as historic. From now on, I don’t want to hear any more talk about discrimination or prejudice against trans people. If I’ve made it, we can all make it.”
Valentina Petrillo is set to compete again in the T12 200m heats on Friday morning. The 50-year-old, who began her transition in 2019, made history as the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games. Although she won’t race for a medal in the T12 400m, she remains a trailblazer in the competition.
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