Trans cyclist wins female race 'to prove a point' as they blast 'selfish' fellow competitors
Na declined to compete in the National Sports Festival
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A transgender cyclist has blasted “selfish” gender non-conforming athletes by winning a female race.
Na Hwa-rin, 37, was born a biological male but reportedly believed they should have been born female aged just seven.
The South Korean cyclist continued to compete after transitioning last year.
Na decided to compete at the Gangwon Sports Festival in June.
Na won the Gangwon Sports Festival in June after transitioning to a woman last year@i_heart__bikes/TwitterThe 37-year-old decided to do so to prove biological men are physically superior to biological women.
Na told The Korean Times: “I have no unresolved feelings over winning because that’s no longer what I want.
“My goal was to stir controversy and get my story heard by competing.”
They added: “I am not proud of myself at all.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:“I believe other transgender athletes would feel the same.
“They may not want to admit it but they’re being selfish.
“There is no honour as an athlete in that.”
Na was competing as a cyclist before transitioning last year and won several medals in men’s races.
Na was an avid cyclist before transitioning
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Some of Na’s victories coincided with undergoing hormone therapy.
The 37-year-old is putting pressure on athletic committees to include a third gender category to accommodate for transgender athletes.
They said: “It could be like how we have many weight divisions in some sports… Under the current binary system, women athletes will be discouraged, and their hard work might not be recognised due to the participation of transgender athletes.”
Na qualified to compete in the National Sports Festival following last month’s victory but declined to participate amid concerns about harming other competitors' chances.