RNZ Laurel Hubbard. Photo: Photosport Official selection is the only thing needed for weightlifter Laurel Hubbard to become the first transgender Olympian. International weightlifting has rejigged its qualifying criteria for Tokyo because of limited competition over the past year due to Covid-19. That means on current rankings Hubbard will qualify but she still needs to nominated by Weightlifting New Zealand then be officially selected by the New Zealand Olympic committee. She has been eligible to compete in the Olympics since 2015, when the IOC issued new guidelines allowing any transgender athlete to compete as a woman provided their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months before their first competition.