Trans runner says she is ‘scared’ to race the London Marathon after issuing an apology

Trans runner says she is ‘scared’ to race the London Marathon after issuing an apology

Trans runner says she is ‘scared’ to race London Marathon after issuing apology

GB News
Gabrielle Wilde

By Gabrielle Wilde


Published: 18/04/2024

- 14:57

Updated: 18/04/2024

- 14:57

Glenique Frank made a public apology for running in the women's category last year

A transgender woman, Glenique Frank has said that she is "scared" to race in the London Marathon at the weekend after she ran in the women's category last year.

The runner issued an apology on GB News last year after she placed 6,160th out of 20,123 female entrants.


At the time, she explained that she was "running for charity" and that she hadn't "cheated any athletes out of their prize" despite receiving harsh criticism.

Speaking on Good Afternoon Britain on GB News today she said: "What happened to me last year, I got some quite brutal threats for entering under a simple category.

Glenique Frank

Glenique Frank said that she is "not non-binary"

GB News

"When I enter any race, or even a job application, under gender there are only limited categories male, female, non-binary or other.

"No offence to non-binary and other but I don't want to be called that. I know who I am. I am a transgender woman.

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"This is the whole thing with any sport now. On any applications, there is no tick box." She added that she is a sports person and a personal trainer.

She explained: "I just entered under women because I know that I am going to be a transgender woman, the athlete that called me out when she saw my interview could have just phoned me personally.

"Because now it is all about how I cheated 14 thousand other women out of a better position. I am a charity runner and I came around six thousandth.

"I felt quite bad and it affected my mental health but luckily I am a strong person."

Glenique Frank

Glenique Frank ran in the women's category last year

GB News

Frank’s inclusion in the London Marathon’s female category was criticised by Olympian Mara Yamauchi, who described it as ‘wrong and unfair’.

Frank went on to explain how she wants the other option in elite sport and can understand why the rules have changed but didn't feel she was cheating anyone out of anything on a charity run.

She added that this has made her afraid to run again at the weekend.

Frank said: "I'm scared to run on Sunday. Unfortunately, I have kept the peace, which is another issue.

Glenique Frank

Glenique Frank is "keeping the peace" this year

GB News

"Why am I getting another human to say 'it's okay, you're non-binary this year - Oh, that's fine, you can run now?'

"I'm not going to cause trouble because I don't want to. I mean, this is the way I am. I don't want bad karma.

"I didn't want to enter under women again because I didn't want the aggro. But I should have entered under the women's category.

"I'm not other and I'm not non-binary."

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