History of Lia Thomas in Timeline

Lia Thomas is an American swimmer notable for being the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship, securing victory in the women's 500-yard freestyle in 2022. Subsequently, she was barred from women's events by World Aquatics. Thomas's athletic career has become central to the ongoing public discussion and debate surrounding the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

May 1999: Lia Thomas Born

In May 1999, Lia Catherine Thomas was born. She is an American swimmer and the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship.

Others born on this day/year

2017: Began Swimming on Men's Team at UPenn

In 2017, Lia Thomas began swimming on the men's team at the University of Pennsylvania and recorded the sixth-fastest national men's time in the 1,000-yard freestyle.

2017: Started Attending the University of Pennsylvania

In 2017, Lia Thomas started attending the University of Pennsylvania.

2018: Ranked 554th in 200 Freestyle

During the 2018–2019 season, while competing on the men's team, Lia Thomas was ranked 554th in the 200 freestyle.

2018: Continued Swimming on Men's Team at UPenn

In 2018, Lia Thomas continued on the men's swim team at the University of Pennsylvania.

2018: Came Out as Transgender to Family

In the summer of 2018, after her freshman year at college, Lia Thomas came out as transgender to her family.

May 2019: Began Hormone Replacement Therapy

In May 2019, Lia Thomas began transitioning and started hormone replacement therapy.

2019: Ranked 65th in 500 Freestyle and 32nd in 1650 Freestyle

During the 2018–2019 season, while competing on the men's team, Lia Thomas was ranked 65th in the 500 freestyle and 32nd in the 1650 freestyle.

2019: Peak Performance in Distance Swimming

In 2019, Lia Thomas's event progression peaked for distance swimming.

2019: Finished Second at Ivy League Championships

In 2019, as a sophomore, Lia Thomas finished second in the men's 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyle at the Ivy League championships while competing on the men's swim team at the University of Pennsylvania.

2020: Swam on Men's Team

During the 2019–2020 academic year, Lia Thomas was required to swim for the men's team as a junior while undergoing hormone therapy.

December 2021: USA Swimming Official Resigned in Protest

In December 2021, USA Swimming official Cynthia Millen resigned after 30 years in protest against Lia Thomas's eligibility to compete and then she appeared to express her views on the Fox News show The Ingraham Angle.

2021: Met NCAA Hormone Therapy Requirements

By 2021, Lia Thomas had met the NCAA hormone therapy requirements to swim on the women's team.

2021: Rank Increased on Women's Team

By the conclusion of Lia Thomas's swimming career at UPenn in 2022, her rank had moved from 65th on the men's team to 1st on the women's team in the 500-yard freestyle, and 554th on the men's team to fifth on the women's team in the 200-yard freestyle during the 2021-2022 season.

2021: Drop in Distance Swimming Times

During the 2021–2022 season, Lia Thomas experienced a drop in times for distance swimming, but sprint swimming reflected a dip at the start of 2021–2022 season before returning to near-lifetime bests in the 100 free and a lifetime personal best in the 50 free in 2021.

2021: Ranked Fifth in 200 Freestyle

During the 2021–2022 season, competing in the women's team, Lia Thomas was ranked fifth in the 200 freestyle.

January 10, 2022: The Washington Post Article

On January 10, 2022, The Washington Post wrote, "Thomas has shattered school records and has posted the fastest times of any female college swimmer in two events this season. She'll probably be a favorite at the NCAA championships in March, even as people inside and outside the sport debate her place on the pool deck."

January 2022: Finished 6th in 100m Freestyle Against Yale

In January 2022, at a meet against Yale, Lia Thomas finished in 6th place in the 100m freestyle race, losing to four cisgender women and Iszac Henig, a transgender man.

January 2022: Statements of Support Issued

In January 2022, the University of Pennsylvania, multiple organizations affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and the Ivy League issued statements supporting Lia Thomas.

February 2022: Described as Face of Debate

In February 2022, CNN's Levinson described Lia Thomas as "the face of the debate on transgender women in sports".

February 2022: Campaign Ad Featuring Thomas

In February 2022, Vicky Hartzler, a Republican Senate candidate in Missouri, featured Lia Thomas in a campaign advertisement asserting that "Women's sports are for women, not men pretending to be women".

February 2022: Letters Sent Regarding NCAA Policy

In February 2022, in response to a proposed NCAA transgender athlete policy, sixteen anonymous members of the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming team sent a letter asking officials not to take legal action against the proposal, while another group made a statement supporting her. A letter in response, organized by Schuyler Bailar and signed by more than 300 current and former collegiate swimmers, stated their support for Lia Thomas, and all transgender college athletes.

March 2022: Won NCAA Division I National Championship

In March 2022, Lia Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport after winning the women's 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24; Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant was second.

March 2022: Designated as Most Controversial Athlete

In March 2022, Sports Illustrated denoted Lia Thomas as "the most controversial athlete in America".

March 2022: Last College Swimming Event

The March 2022 NCAA championship was Lia Thomas's last college swimming event.

May 2022: Defended Herself and Expressed Intent to Keep Swimming

In a May 2022 interview with Good Morning America, Lia Thomas defended herself from criticism and stated her intention to keep swimming and to compete at the Olympic trials.

June 2022: Laws Prohibiting Transgender Girls in Sports

As of June 2022, multiple states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia, have laws prohibiting public schools from allowing the participation of transgender girls in school sports for girls.

June 2022: FINA Voted to Bar Transgender Athletes

In June 2022, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) voted to bar transgender athletes from competing in professional women's swimming, preventing Lia Thomas from competing in the women's competition at the 2024 United States Olympic trials as she had planned.

2022: Drop in Distance Swimming Times

2022: Ranked First in 500 Freestyle and Eighth in 1,650 Freestyle

During the 2021–2022 season, competing in the women's team, Lia Thomas was ranked first in the 500 freestyle and eighth in the 1,650 freestyle.

2022: Swam on Women's Team

In 2021–2022, Lia Thomas swam on the women's team after taking a year off school to maintain her eligibility to compete while competitive swimming was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022: Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania

In 2022, Lia Thomas graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, with plans to attend law school.

2022: Wins NCAA Division I National Championship

In 2022, Lia Thomas won the women's 500-yard freestyle event, becoming the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship, before being barred from competing in women's events by World Aquatics.

2022: World Aquatics gender inclusion policy introduced

In 2022, World Aquatics introduced a gender inclusion policy, stipulating that trans women can compete in the women's category if any male puberty was halted by age 12 or Tanner Stage 2.

2022: Transgender Rights Dominating Outrage

In 2022, after the vetoes by Holcomb and Cox, as well as the win by Lia Thomas at the NCAA championship, "Transgender rights are dominating outrage on the right". The National Women's Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defended Thomas.

January 2024: Thomas opens legal challenge to World Aquatics gender inclusion policy

In January 2024, Lia Thomas initiated a legal challenge against the World Aquatics gender inclusion policy, claiming it was discriminatory.

June 2024: Court of Arbitration for Sport rules Thomas ineligible to challenge policy

In June 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport determined that Lia Thomas lacked the standing to challenge the World Aquatics gender inclusion policy, thus confirming her ineligibility to compete.

2024: FINA Voted to Bar Transgender Athletes

2024: Planned to Swim at Olympic Trials

In March 2022, it was reported that Lia Thomas applied for law school and planned to swim at the 2024 Summer Olympics trials.

March 2025: Trump Administration Stripped Funding from UPenn

In March 2025, the Trump administration stripped away $175 million dollars of federal funding from UPenn over their allowing Lia Thomas to swim as a woman.

July 2025: UPenn Agreement to Bar Transgender Athletes

In July 2025, it was reported that UPenn made an agreement with the federal government to bar transgender athletes from competing on female sports teams and to "erase all records and awards belonging to Thomas."