Lia Thomas became the most talked-about swimmer in the world in 2022. She made history as the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship. Her victory in the women’s 500-yard freestyle sparked a national debate about fairness, inclusion, and the future of women’s sports. Unlike England’s dominant qualifying campaign, Thomas’s journey has been marked by controversy and legal battles. In 2026, searches for “Lia Thomas” remain high as new developments continue to unfold. This guide covers everything about her career, the erasure of her records, the Title IX lawsuit, and where she is now.
Who Is Lia Thomas? Age and Backgrounds .
Thomas was recruited to swim for the University of Pennsylvania men’s team. She began her collegiate career in the 2017-18 season. Her brother also swam for Penn, which influenced her decision to attend the Ivy League school .
During her first year on the men’s team, Thomas made three championship final appearances at the 2018 Ivy League men’s championships. She competed in the 500-yard, 1000-yard, and 1650-yard freestyle events .
Lia Thomas’s Transition and Time at Penn
Thomas first started questioning her gender identity in high school. She came out to her family as transgender during the summer between her freshman and sophomore years at Penn . Her parents were initially confused but later became her biggest supporters .
Thomas began hormone replacement therapy in May 2019. She was worried it might end her athletic career. However, she felt “mentally, a lot better and healthier pretty quickly” while continuing to swim .
During the 2019-20 season, Thomas continued to compete on the men’s team while undergoing hormone therapy. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of Ivy League athletics in March 2020. Thomas took a gap year in 2020-21 to preserve a year of NCAA eligibility .
She returned to the pool in the summer of 2021. She began practicing with the Penn women’s swimming and diving team. By that time, she had completed two years of hormone replacement therapy .
The NCAA Championship Victory That Changed Everything
Thomas made headlines in December 2021 after a standout performance at the Zippy Invitational. She notched the nation’s fastest times of the season in the 200 and 500 freestyle events .
At the 2022 Ivy League championships, Thomas secured three Ivy League titles and program records. These performances qualified her for the 2022 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships for the first time in her career .
In March 2022, Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship in any sport. She won the women’s 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24. Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant finished second, 1.75 seconds behind .
Thomas also competed in the 200-yard freestyle, where she tied for fifth place with University of Kentucky alum Riley Gaines. She finished eighth in the 100-yard freestyle .
Penn nominated Thomas for NCAA Woman of the Year that summer .
The Controversy: Teammate Objections and Public Debate
Thomas’s success sparked intense debate. In January 2022, 16 Penn swimmers anonymously signed a letter. They stated that Thomas was taking away “competitive opportunities” from them in meets such as the Ivy League championship .
Conservative media outlets, including Fox News, began covering Thomas extensively in late 2021. Cynthia Millen, a USA Swimming official of 30 years, resigned in protest of Thomas’s eligibility to compete .
Thomas told Sports Illustrated about her struggles with gender dysphoria. “I was very depressed,” she said during her time competing on the men’s team .
Despite the criticism, both Penn Athletics and the Ivy League released statements in support of Thomas’s participation. The NCAA also ruled that she could compete under existing rules .
Where Is Lia Thomas Now? Records Erased by Penn
In July 2025, the University of Pennsylvania reached a settlement with the US Department of Education. The university agreed to erase Thomas’s records and apologize to the female athletes she competed against .
The decision came after a federal civil rights case found that the university violated female athletes’ rights under Title IX . The university also agreed to block transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports .
The Trump administration had frozen $175 million in federal funding to Penn in February 2025. The freeze was attributed to alleged Title IX violations from allowing Thomas to compete . The funding was released after Penn agreed to the settlement .
US Education Secretary Linda McMahon said: “The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls” .
Thomas has not competed in any swim meets since graduating from Penn in 2022. She has focused on pursuing a law degree .
World Aquatics Ban and Lost Olympic Dream
In June 2022, World Aquatics (formerly FINA) voted to ban transgender women from elite women’s swimming events. The new rules required trans women to have completed their transition by age 12 to compete. This effectively barred Thomas from Olympic competition .
Thomas called the decision “deeply upsetting” and “discriminatory”. She told ESPN it “will only serve to harm all women” .
In June 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Thomas’s legal challenge to the World Aquatics rules. The court ruled she lacked standing to bring the case .
In March 2026, the International Olympic Committee announced new rules. Women’s Olympic events would require genetic testing for participants. This further cemented the ban on transgender athletes .
Thomas told ABC News: “This ruling is devastating and only detrimental to women’s sports. It only serves to exclude any women who are not deemed woman enough. Trans women are women. Intersex women are women” .
Lia Thomas Speaks Out: ‘I Would Do It All Over Again’
Despite the setbacks, Thomas has refused to back down. In a rare interview with WHYY in Philadelphia, she spoke about the impact of so much attention on her life .
“It was a gut punch and it still hits me sometimes,” she said of the World Aquatics ban. “It’s aching grief at not being able to do the sport that I love” .
Thomas said she still swims occasionally at a local YMCA. “It takes a lot of effort to try to focus on the joy that swimming still brings me,” she admitted .
When asked what she would say to young people facing similar struggles, she quoted advice from a fellow transgender athlete: “It’s easier to fight the whole world than to fight yourself every day” .
“There’s just no substitute to living and being your authentic self,” she said. “It unfortunately takes courage because of the many difficulties there are surrounding being openly trans, especially being an openly trans athlete. But it’s absolutely worth it, and I know you can do it” .
Lawsuits and Legal Battles Continue
In February 2025, three former Penn swimmers filed a lawsuit against Penn, Harvard University, the Ivy League, and the NCAA. They accused them of violating Title IX by allowing Thomas to compete in the 2022 championships .
The same month, President Trump signed an executive order barring transgender women from participating in women’s sports .
The NCAA’s Board of Governors voted to approve a policy change officially restricting women’s sports to only biologically female athletes. The policy took effect immediately .
England secured their World Cup qualification without controversy, while Thomas’s legal battles have reshaped the landscape of women’s sports.
Why Lia Thomas Is Trending in 2026
Lia Thomas continues to trend for several reasons. The erasure of her records by Penn in July 2025 sparked renewed debate. The ongoing legal battles and Title IX lawsuits keep her name in headlines. The IOC’s March 2026 decision to ban transgender athletes from women’s Olympic events has renewed interest in her case. Additionally, her advocacy for transgender athletes continues to draw both support and criticism.
Thomas’s impact on sports history is undeniable. Whether you agree with her or not, she changed the conversation about fairness, inclusion, and the future of women’s athletics forever.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How old is Lia Thomas?
Lia Thomas was born on 13 May 1999. She is 27 years old as of 2026.
What happened to Lia Thomas’s swimming records?
In July 2025, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to erase her records as part of a settlement with the US Department of Education. The university also sent apology letters to female athletes she competed against .
Why did Penn erase Lia Thomas’s records?
A federal civil rights case found that Penn violated female athletes’ rights under Title IX by allowing Thomas to compete on the women’s team .
Is Lia Thomas still swimming?
No. Thomas has not competed in any swim meets since graduating from Penn in 2022. She has focused on pursuing a law degree .
Can Lia Thomas compete in the Olympics?
No. World Aquatics banned transgender women who have undergone male puberty from elite women’s swimming events in 2022. The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed her legal challenge in June 2024 .
What did Lia Thomas say about the bans?
Thomas called the World Aquatics decision “deeply upsetting” and “discriminatory”. She said it “will only serve to harm all women” .
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