Russian track and field athlete Anna Kulinich-Sorokina told how she competed with an Italian transgender man at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
Kulinich-Sorokina was disqualified due to a false start in the 200-meter semifinals.
— Why did you run with the leader, and the Italian transgender Valentina Petrillo started alone?
“Maybe it’s convenient for them.” You can run with or without a leader. Maybe the partner just doesn’t fit. It’s not like that: take a guy and run the distance with him. Here you have to run. As in synchronized swimming, the movements must be clear. It’s a big responsibility and you have to train a lot. And if you take an Iranian, then maybe, according to his religion, it’s unacceptable for a girl to run in tandem with a man. I think so… And if you take Valentina, apparently, she feels more comfortable that way.
— Petrillo does not dominate, going beyond the final. So, being transgender among women is not so scary?
– Yes, there is nothing wrong with that. Although it is not very pleasant. An Indian girl and I communicate well, and she said in the call room: “Why is this man sitting here with us?” – “I can’t answer that question.”
— Does Petrillo behave like a man?
“He’s like that, a little vain.” I’m constantly going somewhere, moving. We hardly cross paths with him, trying to conduct our own business separately. And we don’t let ourselves be distracted by each other.
— Will you go to the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games?
– I want to go. It’s a great feeling. Even the rain won’t stop me. I was at the closing in London and it was an incredible feeling. Great holiday! It’s like an incentive prize for you at the end of the competition. So I can’t miss the closing!
– How many of us will go?
– Many refused. I can’t speak for the entire team, but five of the visually impaired will leave, “Kulinich-Sorokina told .
The Paralympic Games in the French capital will end on September 8.
Watch the performances of Russian athletes at the Paralympic Games live on the Match! family channels, as well as on the matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru websites.
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I’m John White and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. My specialty is covering sports news, which I’ve been doing for over 6 years now. During this time, I have worked as an author with Athletistic, a popular online news website focusing on sports topics.
