SHE glides effortlessly through the water, flicking tumble turns at the end of each lap and often touching the wall first at the end of her gruelling middle-distance races.
Lia Thomas' prowess in the pool has made her one of the finest swimmers on the University of Pennsylvania team and a bright future seemed to await.
But now that future isn't so certain.
Thomas (22) has become the face of a new ruling by Fina, swimming's international governing body, which has banned transgender athletes from competing in women's elite races - unless they transitioned before the age of 12.
Thomas started her transition in 2019, using hormone-replacement therapy, and came out as a transgender woman in her first year at university. She became the first openly transgender woman to win a US national college championship title earlier this year and the world started taking note.
Many thought she had an unfair advantage and the Fina authorities agreed.
But Thomas says she wanted to show younger transgender athletes that they aren't alone and don't have to choose between who they are and the sport they love.
"I want to swim and compete as who I am, she says.
Yet her days of competing against women on an elite level are over and she's deeply unhappy about it.
"The new Fina decision is deeply upsetting, Thomas says. "It's discriminatory and will only serve to harm all women."
LGBTQ group Athlete Ally agrees, calling the ban discriminatory, harmful, and unscientific. But Fina is sticking to its guns, saying the decision is based on science and research: if swimmers transition after the start of male puberty, they have an unfair edge over the competition.
"It isn't feasible for people who've transitioned to compete without having an advantage," says James Pearce, spokesperson for Fina president Husain Al-Musallam.
This story is from the 07 July 2022 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the 07 July 2022 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BALLON IN THE BAG
Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football
IT WAS ALL A LIE
A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country
AGREE TO DISAGREE
Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book
PAUSE THE CLOCK
Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down
MPOOMY ON TOP
We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court
MATT THE RECLUSE
A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight
A LEAP OF FAITH
After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it