Transgender, nonbinary runner Nikki Hiltz makes Olympic 1500m final

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Nikki Hiltz is one step closer to chasing their dream.

In Hiltz’ first Olympics, the 29-year-old — who identifies as transgender/nonbinary — qualified for the finals of the women’s 1500-meter race.

In the second semifinal race, Hiltz’ 3:56.17 time was good for third behind Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji and Australia’s Jessica Hull.

Hiltz was one of 12 overall runners to reach the final round, including fellow American Elle St. Pierre.

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The Santa Cruz, Calif. native will look to become just the second American to place on the women’s podium in the history of the event, with Jennifer Simpson’s bronze the only U.S. medal in the event — which has been in every Games since 1972.

Hiltz is eligible to race in the women’s category because they were assigned female at birth and do not take hormone treatments, in accordance with Olympic guidelines.

“Respect people’s pronouns and if someone has a different lived experience than you, try educating yourself instead of hating on them,” Hiltz wrote on X on Monday.

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The 29-year-old explained to the Washington Post how they hope to represent much more than themself in Paris.

“Maybe there’s an opportunity to change someone’s mind about something,” Hiltz said. “Or maybe someday if that person has a kid and that kid is nonbinary, they’re like, ‘Oh, I’ve heard of that before.’ I don’t think we’re ever going to change our society or the way we think by just being like, ‘F–k you,’ and then, ‘Well, f–k you!’ The middle — it’s like the nonbinary place to be. It’s where the change can be made.”

Gender eligibility has loomed as one of the overarching themes during the 2024 Olympics, particularly in boxing.

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Algerian Imane Khelif and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-Ting — each of whom could claim gold in their respective weight classes — have been subject to scrutiny after being barred from the 2023 World Boxing Championships due to not meeting International Boxing Association gender testing requirements.

The participation of Khelif and Yu-Ting, two biological women, has provoked a broader discourse about whether transgender women should be allowed to compete in Olympic sports.

Hiltz, though, is a proponent of transgender participation.

“I do support trans women,” Hiltz told the Washington Post. “I do support their right to compete in — whether it’s the gender they were assigned at birth or not — wherever they feel comfortable.”

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