Transgender athlete Valentina Petrillo qualifies for woman’s T12 400m semi-final

A transgender athlete who previously won 11 national titles in the men’s category as a married father of two has qualified for the semi-finals of the woman’s T12 400m event at the Paralympics.

Visually-impaired Italian Valentina Petrillo finished second in her heat in Paris but progressed as the sixth fastest runner, in a time of 58.35 seconds.

The 50-year-old, who transitioned in 2019, was initially reported to be the first openly transgender Paralympian.

However, Dutch athlete Ingrid van Kranen finished ninth in the women’s discus final at the Rio 2016 Games.

Petrillo will run in the semi-finals at Stade de France on Monday evening, with the medal race scheduled for Tuesday.

Petrillo said: “From today I don’t want to hear anything more about discrimination, prejudices against transgender people.

“There are lots of people dying only for being trans, people are killed because they are trans, people commit suicide because they are trans and lose their jobs, or (they are) are not included in sport. But I made it. If I can make it, everyone can make it.”