At the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, Italian athlete Valentina Petrillo shared her emotions after falling short of qualifying for the women’s 400-meter T12 final. The 51-year-old runner, who transitioned five years ago, finished third in her heat on Monday night, missing out on a chance to compete for a medal.
Petrillo, who has a visual impairment due to stargardt disease, expressed mixed feelings about her performance. “I tried my best until the end, I didn’t make it, I missed the last straight,” she said during a post-race press conference, visibly moved. “I pushed more than I did this morning and I tried my best. They are stronger than me, I had to go down too much, to do a 56 [seconds].”
Despite her disappointment, Petrillo found solace in her achievement. “With 57.50, I have to be happy even if I’m a little down,” she added. The athlete also shared a touching sentiment about her son, saying, “I hope my son will be proud of me. This is important to me because he has a trans dad, not the dad that everyone dreams of. But I hope he will be proud of me.”
Petrillo’s journey to the Paralympics has not been without controversy. In 2021, over 30 athletes submitted a petition to the Italian athletics federation, calling for her removal from female competition. However, World Para Athletics rules allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s events if they are “recognized as female under law.”
Before her transition, Petrillo had a successful career in men’s athletics, winning 11 national titles. At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships, she earned bronze medals in both the 200m and 400m events, raising expectations for her Paralympic debut.
Despite not advancing to the final, Petrillo remained optimistic about the broader impact of her participation. “We are here today, on September 2nd, 2024. Let’s mark this down as a historic day,” she declared. “From this day forth I don’t want to hear any more talk about discrimination or prejudice for trans people. Now I’ve made it, so we can all make it if I’ve made it. I’ve done my little bit and we can all make it.”
