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Penn transgender swimmer Lia Thomas won an Ivy League Championship in the 500-yard freestyle Thursday night, picking up her first individual victory of the week.
Thomas got off to a slow start in the event and had to fight off Princeton’s Ellie Marquardt early in the race. Thomas pulled way ahead by the midpoint of the race.
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Penn's Lia Thomas waits to compete in a qualifying heat of the 500-yard freestyle event at the Ivy League Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
She finished with a time of 4:37:32 and took home first place, giving the Quakers 32 points for the total team rankings. Thomas’ teammate Catherine Buroker finished in second place with a time of 4:44.83, and Penn's Anna Sofia Kalandadze finished in fourth place with a time of 4:47.54.
Thomas finished about seven seconds ahead of Buroker to pick up the victory and set a record at Harvard University's Blodgett Pool.
Penn's Lia Thomas waits to compete in a qualifying heat of the 500-yard freestyle event at the Ivy League Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Marquardt finished in third place with a time of 4:46.63
Thomas also raced in the 200-yard freestyle relay. She, along with teammates Margot Kaczorowski, Hannah Kannan and Camry Carter, finished fourth place.
Thomas was a part of Penn's 800-yard freestyle relay with Kalandadze, Kaczorowski and Bridget O’Leary on Wednesday night. Thomas swam the first leg of the relay and got a bit of a challenge from Yale’s Iszac Henig, who is transitioning from female to male. Thomas swam behind Henig for much of the first leg before the next Penn swimmer jumped into the water.
Thomas was barely in first place after the first leg, finishing with a 1:44.50 while Henig had a 1:44.65.
Thomas has been drawn into the national spotlight in the debate over whether transgender female athletes should be able to compete against biological females in sporting events. She received the all-clear to compete in the conference championships in the days leading up to it.
Penn's Lia Thomas warms up before the team relay events at the Ivy League Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Cambridge, Mass. Thomas, who is transitioning to female, is swimming for the University of Pennsylvania's women's team. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
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She is expected to swim in several events over the course of the week.