Valentina Petrillo Fails to Qualify in Paralympics

Valentina Petrillo made history as the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympics during the women's T12 400m event at the 2024 Games in Paris. Despite achieving a personal best time of 57.58 seconds, she finished third in her semi-final and did not qualify for the final. Petrillo, who was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, expressed her disappointment but maintained pride in her performance, hoping her son would be proud of her as a trans dad. Competing without a guide runner, she acknowledged the strength of her opponents while reflecting on her journey since transitioning in 2019. The event also saw delays in triathlon competitions over water quality concerns, with China leading the medal table. Petrillo's participation continues to stir discussions on transgender athletes in competitive sports.