Lia Thomas, former Westlake High swimming star: 'I transitioned to be happy, to be true to myself'

The first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship speaks out in exclusive interview with ABC News and ESPN.

Mike Swanson, SBLive Sports | May 31, 2022

Lia Thomas, former Westlake High swimming star: 'I transitioned to be happy, to be true to myself' /

Lia Thomas denied all interview requests during the NCAA swimming and diving championships in Atlanta in March, but the transgender athlete ended her silence this week.

She told ABC News and ESPN in an exclusive interview that "trans women competing in women's sports does not threaten women's sports as a whole. Trans women are a very small minority of all athletes. The NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women's sports have been around for 10-plus years. And we haven't seen any massive wave of trans women dominating."

Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in March swimming for the University of Pennsylvania.

She told her story to si.com leading up to the NCAA championships.

Thomas took fourth in the 500 free at the 2016 6A Texas State Meet competing for the Westlake High School (Austin) boys swim team.

Published May 31, 2022

MIKE SWANSON, SBLIVE SPORTS

Mike Swanson is the Trending News Editor for SBLive Sports. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.