Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo, who became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympics, will not compete for a medal in the women's T12 400-meter sprint after finishing third in Monday's semifinal.
The 50-year-old athlete, who began her gender transition in 2019, won the first round of qualifying and advanced to the semi-finals in a time of 58.35 seconds.
Valentina Petrillo of Italy prepares to compete in the women's 400 meters T12 first round at the Stade de France stadium during the 2024 Paralympic Games on Monday, September 2, 2024 in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Jackson Ranger)
Petrillo finished second in the unguided heat.
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Petrillo advanced to the semifinals with a personal best time of 57.58 but fell short of qualifying for the final on Tuesday, as the Italian finished third behind Hajar Safarzadeh Ghaderijani of Iran and Alejandra Paola Pérez Lopez of Venezuela.
Petrillo was diagnosed with a progressive eye disease called Stargardt disease as a teenager. Competing as a man, Petrillo won 11 national titles in the men's T12 division between 2015 and 2018 before transitioning.
Valentina Petrillo of Italy competes in the women's 400m T12 first round at the Stade de France stadium during the 2024 Paralympic Games on Monday, September 2, 2024 in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Jackson Ranger)
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“I began my gender transition in 2019 and in 2020 I raced in the women's division, fulfilling my dream of playing the sport I've always loved,” Petrillo said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I turned 50 before that happened… We all deserve a second choice, a second chance at life.”
World Athletics last year banned transgender athletes who had a sex change after puberty from competing in women's events, but World Para Athletics still allows transgender athletes to participate as long as they declare their gender identity as female for sporting purposes and provide evidence that their testosterone levels were below 10 nanomoles per litre of blood for at least 12 months before their first competition.
Valentina Petrillo of Italy reacts as she prepares to compete in the women's 400 meters T12 first round at the Stade de France stadium during the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France, Monday, September 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Jackson Ranger)
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Petrillo still has a chance to win an Olympic medal in the women's T12 200 meters, with the first round starting Friday and the final scheduled for Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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