Trans athlete wins Washington track race — sparking heated debate ⚡️ Critics and supporters clash over the controversial victory 🏅 Full details in the comments 👇

In a heartfelt interview with the Seattle Times, Verónica Garcia, who clocked an impressive 55.70 seconds—improving by half a second from last year—addressed the critics head-on with unshakable confidence.

“I’ll be honest, I kind of expected it,” she said calmly. “But maybe it didn’t have the effect they hoped for. It made me angry—not the kind of angry where I want to give up, but the kind that fuels me to push harder.”

With a touch of sharp humor, she added, “I’m going to put this in the most PG-13 way possible—it’s a damn shame they don’t have anything better to do. I hope they find a life. But oh well, it just shows who they really are.”

Despite the noise, Verónica’s pride in her achievement shines through: “I’m really proud of myself. I did what I came to do, and that’s enough for me.”

Drawing inspiration from a timeless message, she reflected, “One thing Martin Luther King always pointed out is that you have to do what’s right. Even if there’s risk, you still have to stand up and do what’s right.”

Meanwhile, Lauren Matthew, who finished in second place, spoke to the Spokesman-Review after the race, expressing her frustration: “I shouldn’t have to push myself to the point where I feel like I’m about to, like, die just to win.”

She added, however, misgendering Verónica in the process, “I know I’m going to push myself to keep going, but I don’t want a man pushing me to have to go that far.”

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