Trans non-binary runner Nikki Hiltz has made it to the 1500m final at the Paris Olympics
Nikki Hiltz will run in the 1500m final (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Trans and non-binary track star Nikki Hiltz has qualified for the 1500m women’s final at the Paris Olympics.
Hiltz, who was assigned female at birth and came out as trans non-binary in 2021, finished her semi-final in third place with a time of 3:56.17.
The middle-distance runner is one of several trans athletes competing at the Games, including Canadian footballer Quinn and fellow non-binary American, shot-putter Raven Saunders.
Writing a post before qualifying for the semis, Hiltz said they had had a “blast” and addressed the on-going gender row over Algerian Imane Khelif’s participation in the women’s boxing.
“There’s a lot of ignorance and hate out there right now,” Hiltz wrote. “For those who identify as non-binary or trans and are doing cool things in the world (which is most likely all of you because all queer people are cool AF), remember you are magic and it’s not the critic who counts. I love you. I need you. I see you. Keep going.
“And for everyone else, remember it cost $0 to be kind to those with different lived experiences than you.”
Hiltz competes in the women’s category and does not take hormones but has continued to face transphobic ignorance, with bigots accusing them of being assigned male at birth and a “mediocre man stealing a woman’s place”.
Taking to X/Twitter, Hiltz clapped back: “The ‘we can always tell’ crowd [is] at it again. How ’bout you go touch some grass then type into Google ‘what does non-binary mean?'”
Speaking to The Washington Post, Hiltz has said their involvement at the Olympics was an “opportunity to change someone’s mind about something”, adding: “Or maybe someday if that person has a kid and that kid is non-binary, they’re like, ‘Oh, I’ve heard of that before’.
“I don’t think we’re ever going to change our society or the way we think by just being like, ‘F— you,’ and: ‘Well, f— you!’ The middle, it’s like the non-binary place to be. It’s where the change can be made.”
Who is Nikki Hiltz’s partner?
Nikki Hiltz is dating Emma Gee, who is a steeplechaser. Gee is known as the first out LGBTQ+ student athlete to compete for Utah’s Brigham Young University, a popular educational institute among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – aka the Mormons. The pair have been dating since 2020.
When is the 1500m final?
The women’s 1500m final is scheduled to take place on Saturday (10 August) at 7.15pm UK time (2.15pm on the US East Coast, 11.15am on the West).
Hiltz will be running against 11 other athletes, including world-number-one Faith Kipyegon, fellow American Elle St. Pierre and Team GB’s Laura Muir and Georgia Bell.
Where can I watch the 1500m final?
If you are an American looking to cheer on Hiltz, you can watch the race on NBC and Peacock, with nbcolympics.com providing round-the-clock coverage of the Games. BBC1 will be showing the race in the UK.
The full list of broadcasters providing coverage can be found here.
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