A transgender woman who finished the London Marathon ahead of nearly 14,000 runners in the female category has offered to return her final medal.
Glenique Frank, 54, from Northamptonshire, responded to claims it was ‘wrong and unfair’ for her to compete in the women’s category of the Sunday mass race in London, posting a time of 4 hours 11 minutes 28 seconds.
She told the New York Post: “If they want me to give my medal back, I say ‘okay, fine. No problem”, after the furore erupted on Sunday evening.
“If they really think I stole the house [of a female runner]I don’t mind returning the medal as I will be running for charity again next year.
“But I don’t want to apologize because I didn’t do anything wrong,” Frank stated firmly — saying she was only sorry she had “upset” her critics, who she claimed were mostly “haters.”
Glenique Frank, 54, from Northamptonshire, said she had ‘no intention of misleading the public’ when she took part in Sunday’s mass race in London
“They’re angry because they say one of the 14,000 women behind me could have had my spot. Real? I did [the race in] 4 hours 11 minutes. There are a lot of women who beat me,” noted Frank, who placed 6,159th in the women’s category.
“I get it…I’m not a woman, I don’t have a uterus,” said Frank, who plans to pay about $20,000 next year for “upper and lower leg surgery.”
“But I didn’t compete as an elite, so I didn’t steal any money.”
The elite London Marathon races are subject to World Athletics rules, which exclude transgender women from elite female competition if they have gone through male puberty.
However, the mass event, which saw 48,500 runners from across the UK and the world race through the capital, is not subject to World Athletics rules and is ‘for everyone’.
Speaking to MailOnline yesterday, Frank defended her decision to compete in the marathon, saying she “served my country because of all the money I raised” for charity Whiz Kidz.
She said, ‘How can they say I cheated, who did I cheat? I did it in four hours and 11 minutes.
“I’m going to apologize, I should have entered in the male category, but I didn’t take advantage of another female. I just entered as a general audience [participant] and I raise money for charity.’
Transgender athlete Glenique Frank was interviewed by the BBC as she crossed Tower Bridge
Yamauchi, Britain’s third-fastest ever female marathon runner, said ‘nearly 14,000 real women had a worse finishing position’ because of Frank
Glenique ran the New York Marathon in the men’s category last November, but says it was because she hadn’t yet changed her passport or had surgery
Glenique, who previously competed in the Tokyo Marathon, even offered to return her medal
Frank said she ran the Tokyo and New York marathons as Glen Frank “because I have a male passport and I don’t have surgery.”
She continued, “I’m sorry I entered in the female category because I haven’t had surgery yet.
“It was not my intention to mislead the public, but I apologize for falling into the female category.
“In the end, I don’t win the race or the prize money, so I didn’t take other athletes’ prizes.
She said she would not run another race as a woman until she had surgery, saying, “If Glen becomes Glenique and gets female genitals, she will compete as a woman.”
Hugh Brasher, event director for the TCS London Marathon, said: “The elite races, the Championship races and the Good For Age categories at the TCS London Marathon will be run under World Athletics rules, which exclude transgender women from elite female competition if they are a male. puberty.
On March 31, UK Athletics announced it would ban transgender athletes from its licensed events, but it appears Frank took advantage of a loophole
Olympian Mara Yamauchi has claimed it was ‘wrong and unfair’ to allow Frank to compete in the women’s category
“The mass event of the TCS London Marathon is a unique celebration of inclusiveness and humanity.
It is, in the words of co-founder Chris Brasher, “a great personal victory over doubt and fear, body and mind.”
‘The mass event is an event for all and one where the vast majority of participants raise money for charity, with an incredible £1.15 billion raised for charity since the first edition in 1981.
“It is an event that promotes inclusivity. It’s an incredible challenge. While we list the place a person came from, there are no prizes for this.
“We are committed to making the TCS London Marathon the most diverse, fair and inclusive marathon in the world.”
Frank achieved a 6,160th place in the women’s race with 20,123 participants.
It is her 17th consecutive London marathon and she plans to complete all six major world marathons, including Chicago, Tokyo and Berlin.
She told the BBC as she crossed Tower Bridge: ‘I just did Tokyo, I did New York last year. Next year I’m doing No. 6 a week before London.
‘So a week of rest… girl power. I’ve also competed in the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, where I’m from. Shout out to my beautiful son, who’s having a baby, so I’m going to be a grandma….Grandma G!”