AIBU to be surprised that Laurel Hubbard didn't register a lift in the Olympics?

[Gladiolixoxo]

I wonder if all the controversy around Laurel's participation led to her losing her nerve?

@CloseYourEyesAndSee

But how does that mean she displaced Samoan women or some of the other things that have been reported?

I'm not up on the geo politics of the pacific islands but maybe Samoa competes under New Zealand as it's such a tiny country? I'm not sure. I'm going to google now and find out!

It was Roviel Detenamo of Nauru. Only 18 years old! mobile.twitter.com/VictoriaPeckham/status/1422184891802914817

This is casting a fair way back into my memory (!) but I seem to remember that certain sports
(all sports?) had a certain number of places by Olympic selection region, rather than by representative country? Possibly this is how Laurel of NZ has displaced Roviel Detenamo of Nauru. Someone may be along to correct or confirm this?

Hubbard has just never been that good a weightlifter. Has rich connected parents though…

I have just found a reference to competition spots being given to 'Oceania', so it does indeed seem that there are regional groups for allocation rather than individual countries. The reports make more sense now.

She was used by political fomentors perhaps. Which would be very sad if true

One thing that I thought was interesting (and that I didn’t know) is that Laurel Hubbard changed weight class when they transitioned.

Men have different weight classes to women and several classes up above the maximum female weight class which is 87+. By changing gender, Laurel managed to compete not only against biological females but also against people potentially also of much lower weight.

www.teamusa.org/usa-weightlifting/weightlifting101/weight-classes