LGBTQ Track & Field
Track & Field sports consist of all competitive events that involve the activity of running, throwing and jumping. Components include short, mid and long distance track racing, race walking, hurdles, discus and javelin throwing, shot put, high jump, triple jump, and the combination of these sports in decathlon and heptathlon.
LGBTQ competitors in track & field have been present since the various elements of the sport have been in existence. They include many national, olympic and world champions.
Many have became internationally known personalities because of their presence in their sport. American Babe Didrikson Zaharias was named the female athlete of the twentieth century. Most recently, Venezuelan triple jump competitor Yulimar Rojas was named the 2020 female track athlete of the year. Athletes such as Germany's Otto Peltzer gained fame because of their persecution as LGBTQ competitors. More recently, South Africa's Caster Semenya has made global headlines as she fights for her rights as an intersex sports competitor. American Caitlyn Jenner is perhaps the most high profile transgender track & field athlete, but there are others such as Germany's Andreas Krieger.
We have identified the following LGBTQ track & field competitors. Simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.
Australia
- Raelene Boyle, sprinter
- Robyn Lambird, track runner
- Lisa-Marie Vizaniari, discus
Belgium
- Marieke Vervoort, short track runner
Brazil
- Geisa Arcanjo, shot put
Canada
- Shawn Barber, pole vault
- Greg Duhaime, hurdles
- Bruce Kidd, long distance track
- Brian Marshall, high jump
- Ness Murby, discus
- Ann Peel, race walker
France
- Violette Morris, shot put, discus
Germany
- Sabine Braun, hepthathlete
- Andreas Krieger, shot put
- Nadine Muller, discus
- Steffi Nerius, javelin
- Otto Peltzer, long distance track
- Beate Peters, javelin
- Heinrich Ratjen, high jump
Great Britain
- Tom Bosworth, race walker
- Kelly Holmes, middle distance track
- Colin Jackson, sprinter, hurdles
- Osian Jones, hammer throw
- Sophie McKinna, shot put
- Robert Newton, hurdles
India
- Dutee Chand, sprinter
- Pinki Pramanik, middle distance track
Ireland
- Denis Finnegan, triple jump
Italy
- Valentina Petrillo, para athlete runner
Liberia
- Raasin McIntosh, hurdles
Poland
- Ewa Klobukowska, sprinter
- Stanisława Walasiewicz, discus and 100m track
South Africa
- Caster Semenya, middle distance track
- Sunette Stella Viljoen, javelin
Spain
- Maria Perez, race walking
Sweden
- Peter Haggstrom, long jump
The Netherlands
- Ramsey Angela, relay running
United States
- Eric Anderson, coach
- Erica Bougard, heptathlete
- LeQuan Chapman, triple jump, long jump, and relay racing
- Kerron Clement, hurdles, mid distance track
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias, multi-sport
- Abby Dunkin, track and shot put
- Nikki Hiltz, mid distance track
- Bruce Jenner/Caitlyn Jenner, decathlon
- Bev Kearney, coach
- Chris Kinney, mid distance track
- Matt Llano, mid distance track
- Angela Madsen, shot put
- Michael Muska, coach
- Sha’Carri Richardson, track runner
- Louise Ritter, high jump
- Raven Saunders, shot put
- Tom Waddell, decathlete
- Nico Young, 10,000 metres track
Venezuela
- Yulimar Rojas, triple jump
See Also
- LGBTQ Cyclists
- LGBTQ Figure Skaters
- Competitive Swimmers Who Are LGBTQ
- LGBTQ Sports Management
- LGBTQ Sports Referees and Umpires
- LGBTQ Professional and Amateur Sports Coaches
- LGBTQ Personal Trainers and Lifestyle Coaches
- Lesbian Football/Soccer Players
- The Community of LGBTQ Boxers
- Professional LGBTQ Mixed Martial Artists
- LGBTQ Presence in the Equestrian World
- The World of LGBTQ Golf
- World Sports Champions Who Identify as LGBTQ
- LGBTQ Tennis
- LGBTQ Athletes Who Have Won Olympic Gold
- Lesbian Professional Basketball Players and Coaches
