Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
Transgender athlete Ana Caldas has triumphed in every contest she entered at the national championships, with her performance compared to ‘a real-life South Park scenario.’ Caldas, aged 47, secured top spot in the five individual races she participated in at the US Masters Swimming Spring National Championship held in San Antonio Texas, earlier this month.
Transgender athlete Triumphed in Every Contest This Year at the National Championships.
Caldas clinches all individual event titles in her age group
At the championship, the swimmer won all the honors in the women’s 45-49 age division. This included the 50 and 100-yard breaststroke events, the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races, as well as the 100-yard individual medley.
Caldas emerged victorious in the 50-yard breaststroke, clinching a three second lead with an impressive time of 29.74.
Born Hugo Caldas, the athlete previously competed in collegiate competitions as a male under that name, and also competed under name Hannah.
Reactions and controversy surround Caldas’ stunning victories
A spokesperson for the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) described the difference in times between Caldas and her competitors as ‘absolutely astonishing,’ stating that Caldas ‘was just laughing at these women.’ ICONS sent a letter to the US Masters Swimming (USMS) board, asserting that allowing Caldas to compete violated their own fair play rules.
DailyMail.com has yet to receive a response from Caldas regarding these statements.
Caldas outshined competitors in various events, removing all competitors’ hopes of winning.
//removed repeated image
Wins ignite debate on transgender sports policy
The governing body mandates that trans women athletes undergo hormonal treatment and maintain testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L to compete against biological females. The letter from ICONS emphasized the importance of transparency in maintaining the integrity of competitions and the trust of all USMS participants.
Transparency Crucial for Maintaining Fair Competition
- Testosterone suppression does not erase the advantages male athletes possess, according to the Independent Council on Women’s Sports.
- The governing body’s duty is to enforce existing policies that govern fair competition for women athletes.
ICONS has not received a response from USMS regarding their email. While athletes like Ana Caldas are winning in events on the basis of current policy, critics are questioning whether enforcing gender participation policies requires amendment.
The athlete was born Hugo Caldas and formerly competed in male college competitions under that name, she also participated in the swimming team under the name Hannah.
Conservative political activist and former competitive swimmer, Riley Gaines, criticized Caldas’ victories. The former competitor denounced Caldas’ wins, declaring them a ‘a real-life South Park episode’ on social media. In a statement,”A man who goes by the name Ana swam five events at the U.S. Masters Swimming National Championship. He won them all,” Gaines declared in a statement.
Gaines condemns NCAA’s transgender participation policy
Gaines recently criticized the NCAA for allegedly ignoring a previous executive order by Donald Trump. Aaron Donald ordered a ban on transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
Ithaca, a college that participated in competitive rowing under trans women athlete, Juniper Gattone, has responded to Riley Gaines’ statements. A representative from the college said NCAA rules are being followed.
The representative also cleared up confusion regarding Gattone’s eligibility to practice with women athletes.
Ithaca said Gattone’s team is not listed in the organization’s roster, because the member did not qualify in the NCAA championships. The roster did qualify in practices and open-gender competition.
Gattone claimed title for college rowing in her category
Gattone, a 5-child-10-inch tall sophomore studying Environmental Science, has represented her school as both team captain and titlist.
Last season, she crewed with the Novice 8+ boat, and assisted her team in leading to a sixth straight women’s rowing title at the Liberty League. Their boat won by a massive 37 seconds, gaining them the title after winning the two-boat final by a substantial lead over competitors.
Caldas earned victories in the 100-yard medley solo, and the 50 and 100-yard breaststroke AND freestyle events.
Gattone’s boat then became the elite novice crew at the New York State Championships, ultimately triumphing in a decisive match against the team representing the US Army forces.
Gaines accused Gattone’s bowling of non-adherence with Trump’s rowing requirements for women.
Executive order prompts policy change
The NCAA has altered participation policy recently, limiting women’s competitive participation to athletes assigned female at birth pursuant to order by former US President Donald Trump. The NCIS has responded to this last month, therefore a significant portion of nation’s universities and universities exceed the ranks of the body of competition, roughly, 500,000 collegiate athlete.
The sports governance agency has amended its participation policy