An Italian sprinter who won 11 national titles as a man is now set to become the first openly transgender athlete to compete in women’s races at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris.

Valentina Petrillo failed to qualify for the final ... Born in Naples, Petrillo was a talented runner in school but hopes of being an Olympic runner were hit at the age of 14 after being diagnosed ...

Valentina Petrillo is a visually impaired transgender athlete. In 2019 she started a difficult battle, asking Italian sports federations to give her permission to compete in the female category.