CeCe Telfer, First Out Trans Runner, Ineligible for Olympics

CeCe Telfer, a transgender woman, has officially been deemed ineligible to compete in the upcoming, U.S. Olympic Trials for the 400-meter hurdles after failing to meet World Athletics hormone requirement levels. World Athletics is the international governing body when it comes to track and field. Rules state that transgender athletes are allowed to compete in the women’s runner category if it’s between the distance of 400 meters to one mile, as long as their testosterone levels remain lower than 5 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 consecutive months.

David Mcfarland, Telfer’s manager, says in a statement, “CeCe has turned her focus towards the future and is continuing to train. She will compete on the national—and world—stage again soon. The model of grace in the face of adversity, CeCe will respect USA Track & Field’s decision on her eligibility to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials this Friday in Eugene, [Oregon].”

Back in 2019 Telfer made NCAA history by becoming the first out, transgender women to Win an NCAA championship by winning the Division II 400m hurdles. Telfer has stayed in the public eye as she op-ed for Women’s Health this June. She describes the major impact that sports had on her life, revealing that while coming to terms with her trans identity, she was fighting suicidal ideation, and chasing her dreams of winning gold has kept her from following through with those horrible thoughts.

“It allowed me to spend time away from the parts of my life that were more difficult, where I had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t,” she says. “It steered me away from the noise and pain.”

She noted another frustrating setback she faced as an out trans athlete was that over the past two years, she reached out to over 200 running coaches to help her train, and only two responded. One of these coaches even ceased communication, “ghosting” Telfer after discovering she was transgender. 

Despite Telfer’s unfortunate setback, there will be other queer and trans representation in this year’s summer Olympic games in Toyko, including trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard and queer sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.

Telfer’s persistence and determination is a huge indication she’ll be qualifying for future Olympic games. She wrote in her Women’s Health op-ed, “To other athletes who don’t accept me as a competitor, meet me on the track,” adding “and when we are running the same race, the books will tell you something you can’t deny: she’s fast.