Lia Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania swimmer who has captivated American conversation over her participation in women’s college swimming as a transgender athlete, gave an exclusive interview to Sports Illustrated this week to discuss her story.
In her first season swimming for the Penn women’s team after three seasons competing against men, Thomas has set pool, school, and Ivy League records and has become the nation’s top collegiate swimmer. She’s viewed as a favorite to win the 100-yard, 200-yard, and 500-yard freestyle events at the NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championships that begin in Atlanta on March 16.