First openly transgender Paralympian qualifies for semi-finals

Valentina Petrillo from Italy has made history as the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Paralympic Games, having secured a spot in the women's T12 400m semi-finals.

The 51-year-old sprinter raced in the women's T12 category, designated for athletes with visual impairments, and achieved a second-place finish in her heat with a time of 58.35 seconds, trailing Venezuela's Alejandra Paola Perez Lopez by 1.38 seconds.

Petrillo's performance earned her the sixth fastest time for the semi-finals, finishing 2.99 seconds behind the top qualifier and world record holder, Omara Durand from Cuba.