Laurel Hubbard is a weightlifter from New Zealand who has been chosen to participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics. She was the first openly transgender woman to participate in a major sporting event.
In the IWF’s women’s +87 kg class, she is ranked ninth. Hubbard achieved New Zealand junior records in the newly founded M105+ class in 1998 with snatch 135 kg, clean & jerk 170 kg, total 300 kg, before coming out as transgender. Hubbard changed his gender in 2012 and became Laurel Hubbard. She participated in international weightlifting for the first time in 2017 after a five-year hiatus.
She also won two gold medals in the Pacific Games in Samoa in 2019. At the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy, she won gold in the women’s +87 kg category in 2020. She participated in the Women’s +87kg on August 2, 2021, finishing last with three unsuccessful snatch lifts. Laurel Hubbard, a transgender Olympian, does not win a medal in her Olympic debut.
Laurel Hubbard’s Bio
On February 9th, 1978, Laurel Hubbard was born as a guy. Her birthplace is Auckland, New Zealand. Gavin Hubbard was her birth name or former legal name. Her ethnic heritage is New Zealand-Irish, and she is a New Zealander. Her ethnicity is White. As of 2021, she is 43 years old. Dick Hubbard, a former Mayor of Auckland City and the proprietor of ‘Hubbard Foods,’ and her mother, Diana Reader, gave birth to her. Aquarius is her zodiac sign, and she is a Christian. In 2012, Hubbard changed to Laurel Hubbard, a female. She told an interviewer that she started training weights while she was living as a man because she felt it would help her become more manly in 2017.
Timeline of Laurel Hubbard’s Career
In the newly constituted M105+ category, Laurel Hubbard achieved New Zealand junior records in the snatch 135 kg, clean & jerk 170 kg, total 300 kg in 1998, which were subsequently eclipsed by David Liti. She has spoken out against “one of the misconceptions that’s out there” that she had been lifting her entire life before transitioning to female, claiming that she stopped lifting in 2001 because “it just became too much to bear… just the pressure of trying to fit into a world that wasn’t really set up for people like myself.” In 2012, she transitioned to female and took the name Laurel Hubbard, after which she started hormone treatment. For the first time in 2017, she participated in international weightlifting.
At the 2017 Australian International & Australian Open in Melbourne, she competed in the heaviest 90 kg+ division, winning gold with a 123 kg snatch and a 145 kg clean & jerk for a total of 268 kg at a bodyweight of 131.83 kg. She had even qualified for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but an elbow injury prompted her to withdraw from the tournament while in first place. She declared her likely retirement from weightlifting after the injury. She returned to the sport in 2019 and won two gold medals at the Pacific Games in Samoa. In addition, in the year 2020, she won the gold medal in the women’s +87 kg category at the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy.
The International Olympic Committee delegated the task of determining the conditions allowing transgender athletes to participate in the Olympics to the International Weightlifting Federation. Hubbard also satisfied all of the standards, and the New Zealand Olympic Committee announced on June 21, 2021, that she had been chosen for the New Zealand Olympic squad to participate in the women’s +87 kilogram category, making her the oldest weightlifter to qualify for the games. She was the first openly transgender athlete to be chosen for the Olympic Games in weightlifting. Due to newly released findings revealing that those who went through male puberty maintain considerable advantages, the relevant International Olympic Committee criteria have been attacked by certain scientists.
Richard Budgett, the IOC’s Medical and Scientific Director, said that “residual advantage after going through male puberty” must be evaluated against “all the other drawbacks of transitioning,” and called for additional study. Hubbard told the Stuff news website in 2017 about the backlash she gets for competing in women’s weightlifting as a transgender athlete “All you can do is concentrate on the job at hand, and if you do so, you will succeed. I’m aware that I won’t have universal support, but I’m hoping that people would have an open mind and consider my performance in a larger perspective. Perhaps the fact that it has taken so long for someone like me to respond implies that some of the issues raised aren’t as serious as they seem.” On August 2, 2021, she participated in the Women’s +87kg, finishing last with three unsuccessful snatch lifts.
Who Is Laurel Hubbard’s Boyfriend?
Laurel Hubbard has not yet married and plans to do so in the near future. Hubbard, 43, seems to be concentrating on her job at the moment. There are also no rumors or stories regarding her dating, boyfriend, or media connection. Her partner’s identity is likewise unclear. She keeps her personal life a well guarded secret. She is content with her current life and is not bothered by anything. Her gender identity is transgender.
While she was near to the Tokyo Olympics 2021, Laurel was accused with ‘careless driving causing harm.’ The male driver was admitted to the hospital for two weeks and will need severe spinal surgery when he returns to Australia. In January 2021, she pled guilty and agreed to pay the pair about $13K, including $100K for emotional distress.
What Is The Net Worth Of Laurel Hubbard?
Laurel Hubbard is a well-known weightlifter with a net worth of between $1 million and $5 million as of 2022. Her specific pay, however, is still unknown. Her weightlifting profession is her main source of income, and she is happy with her earnings. Many transgender persons look forward to her as an inspiration.
Laurel Hubbard’s Body Measurement
Laurel Hubbard is a stunning weightlifter with a pale complexion. She stands at 1.85 meters or 6 feet 1 inch tall. Her ideal bodyweight is 90 kg. Her physique is typical. In 2012, Hubbard changed to Laurel Hubbard, a female. She had gender reassignment surgery. Her hair is jet black, and her eyes are brown. Her additional physical measurements are currently unavailable. Overall, she has a healthy physique that she has kept in good shape by exercising often. Her left arm is tattooed with an Irish motif. The Shamrock, a Celtic icon, is also Ireland’s national flower. The holy trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is symbolized by this symbol. Her cheekbones are bigger and her lips are narrower.
Quick Facts
Hubbard is a media snob who seldom does interviews. In 2012, she began her transition from male to female. Aquarius is her zodiac sign.
Due to personal circumstances, she discontinued weightlifting in 2001. Her left arm is tattooed with an Irish motif.