Laurel Hubbard was born on 9 February 1978 and is a New Zealand weightlifter.
11 Facts About Laurel Hubbard
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Laurel Hubbard competed in international weightlifting for the first time in 2017.
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Laurel Hubbard thus became the first trans woman to win an international weightlifting title for New Zealand.
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Athletes that were critical of the decision to allow Laurel Hubbard to compete include Iuniarra Sipaia, Toafitu Perive, Deborah Acason and Tracey Lambrechs.
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Laurel Hubbard later returned to the sport, winning two gold medals at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa.
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The decision to allow Laurel Hubbard to compete was criticised by the Samoa 2019 chairman, Loau Solamalemalo Keneti Sio, and Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi.
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Laurel Hubbard met all the requirements and on 21 June 2021, the New Zealand Olympic Committee confirmed that Laurel Hubbard had been selected for the New Zealand Olympic team to compete in the women's +87 kilogram category, becoming the oldest weightlifter to qualify for the games.
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The inclusion of Laurel Hubbard was welcomed by supporters within the trans community as a step towards more inclusion at the Games.
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In front of a large contingent of media Laurel Hubbard struggled, with three failed snatch lifts, placing last in her group.
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Later Laurel Hubbard hinted at retirement, saying that age had caught up with her.
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In 2017, Laurel Hubbard told an interviewer that she began participating in weight lifting when she was living as male because she hoped it would enable her to become masculine.