Spanish athlete Mar Vázquez became a topic of conversation in the sports world after making an unusual decision: competing in the men’s category despite having completed her gender transition. And her choice drew even more attention when she won a bronze medal in the 3,000 meters during the Galician Masters Athletics Championship.
Vázquez, 61, explained that she decided to race against men because she believes it would be unfair to compete in the women’s category due to the physical advantages that, as she herself acknowledges, she developed before beginning her transition. The athlete stated that, despite years of hormone treatment and a significant loss of muscle mass, she maintains physiological capacities superior to those of many female competitors.
“I know how hard it is and I don’t want to take any woman’s place”, she said in an interview.
Her stance has drawn attention because it goes in the opposite direction of one of the most intense debates in sports today. She even said that she could probably achieve better results if she competed in women’s events, but that she does not consider it ethical to do so.
Thanks to her time of 11:23.94 in the 3,000 meters, Vázquez not only made it onto the podium with a bronze medal, but also achieved the qualifying standard for the Spanish Masters Championship.
Her story quickly went viral on social media, where thousands of users debated inclusion, fairness in sports, and the future of competitive categories. While some applauded her decision, others used it as an example within a discussion that continues to generate divided opinions around the world.