Meet 13 out LGBTQ athletes competing at 2025 world track and field championships

Three of the 13 out LGBTQ athletes in Tokyo are defending their titles from Budapest 2023. The post Meet 13 out LGBTQ athletes competing at 2025 world track and field championships appeared first on Outsports.

Mark Mark
Sep 14, 2025 - 20:00
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Meet 13 out LGBTQ athletes competing at 2025 world track and field championships

There are more publicly out LGBTQ competitors taking part in this year’s World Athletics Championships than ever before in the event’s history.

Tokyo 2025 is the 20th edition of the most prestigious meet in track and field outside of an Olympic Games. More than 2,200 athletes from 198 countries are set to participate this year.

So far, Outsports can report that at least 13 of those athletes are publicly out as LGBTQ.

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Out Olympian among LGBTQ track and field athletes competing at World Championships
Dutch sprinter Ramsey Angela was absent from the Paris Olympics but will race in Tokyo, where he won Olympic silver in 2021.

It’s the same number from track and field as was recorded on our “Team LGBTQ” list for last year’s Olympics.

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Eight of that Paris 2024 contingent will be in action in Tokyo, with the World Championships beginning this Saturday (Sept. 13) and running until Sept. 21.

At Budapest 2023, the previous edition of the biennial event, Outsports followed the exploits of nine publicly out LGBTQ athletes, including 100 meters champion Sha’Carri Richardson and double gold-medalist Maria Perez.

Both women are due to defend their titles in the coming days, with Richardson one of three Team USA athletes on our roster, the joint most from any nation alongside Brazil.

Meanwhile, another American, hurdler Trey Cunningham, has his name down on the official entry list but is known to be an alternate.

While the official channels of the Olympics have increasingly celebrated LGBTQ athletes and marked Pride Month in recent years, World Athletics — the governing body that organizes the World Championships — has taken a more circumspect approach.

Three of the previous six host cities for their showpiece occasion are the capitals of countries where LGBTQ rights are restricted (Russia, Qatar and Hungary).

Meanwhile, World Athletics has taken a series of divisive decisions, such as banning trans women from women’s events and limiting the participation of DSD athletes.

One of the biggest talking points around Tokyo 2025 is that this is the first World Championships to be held in which all athletes entered into the female category must have passed an SRY gene test in order to compete.

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Even with widespread testing in sports, question of fairness and equity arise.

How we compiled the list for the World Athletics Championships

Most of the out athletes on Outsports’ initial list were previously part of “Team LGBTQ” at the Paris and Tokyo Olympics.

When reporting on representation, we always err on the side of caution. While we continue to find assertions or rumors about athletes being LGBTQ, we stick to our “publicly out” standard, which may entail media interviews, publicly-facing social media accounts, or verified correspondence.

Occasionally, athletes inform us that they do identify as LGBTQ but ask not to be included on the list for personal reasons.

If someone has not made a public declaration to the media that they are LGBTQ, they can still be included on this list if they are living their life as an out person on social media, particularly if they are clear and open about being in a same-sex relationship.

LGBTQ athletes competing at the World Championships in Tokyo may still be added to our celebratory list, should they meet our criteria.

If you feel we should consider an athlete for inclusion, please don’t hesitate to email us at team@outsports.com, or direct message us on social media (we’re @outsports on Instagram and X).

Men’s events

Ramsey Angela (Netherlands, 4x400m relay)

The 25-year-old sprinter returns to the scene of his Olympic silver-medal success, earned alongside his Dutch relay teammates. It was during those Tokyo Games that he was added to “Team LGBTQ” — he’d been posting pictures with his then-boyfriend on Instagram. Angela is not keen on labels but describes himself as queer, telling fellow athletes who might be struggling with their sexuality: “Be who you are and don’t be ashamed of it.” This will be his third World Championships, with the relay heats and final on the closing weekend

Seamus Derbyshire (Great Britain, 400-meter hurdles)

Making his Worlds debut, Derbyshire is rapidly building a fanbase after a video of his start-line sassiness went viral on TikTok. He recently told Outsports how embracing his authentic self as a proud out gay man has helped unlock a new level of performance on the track — he even set a new personal best during Pride Month. Recently interviewed by reporter Jo Currie (who is also LGBTQ) for BBC Sport, don’t miss Derbyshire’s debut turn in front of the cameras, as he goes in the heats on Monday, bidding to make Wednesday’s semis.

Nico Young (USA, 5,000 and 10,000 meters)

A major medal hope for both Team USA and Team LGBTQ, Young’s best shot looks to be in the 5,000 meters — he has the second-fastest outdoor time in the world this year, also a U.S. record. First up, however, is Sunday night’s 10,000 meters, a distance he won at nationals in July by storming past rival Grant Fisher; it also made him the first out gay man to win an U.S. track title. Hot and humid conditions in Tokyo will be a big factor, but Young is certainly a contender. Update: Young finished fifth in the 10,000m final.

Women’s events

Ana Carolina Azevedo (Brazil, 100 meters)

Currently ranked inside the world’s top 50 over the shortest sprint distance, Azevedo and boxer Bia Ferreira announced their engagement last September after both Brazilians had competed at the Paris Olympics. 

Roberta Bruni (Italy, pole vault)

Bruni is the Italian record holder and finished 14th at last year’s Paris Olympics, so will be aiming to make it into Wednesday’s final in Tokyo. She regularly posts pics on Instagram with her girlfriend Virginia and has a rainbow emoji alongside her name in her bio.

Izabela da Silva (Brazil, discus)

The reigning Pan-American Games champion, Da Silva met her girlfriend Gabriela during a national competition when they were both teenagers. The 30-year-old set a new PB last summer. Update: Da Silva finished ninth in Sunday’s final.

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (Canada, 1,500 and 5,000 meters)

Six years ago, DeBues-Stafford set national outdoor records over both distances, and came fifth in the Tokyo Olympics 1,500m final while sporting rainbow-dyed hair. However, injury setbacks followed, and she missed out on Paris 2024 by just one ranking point. Proudly queer, she’s a joint captain for Team Canada at Tokyo 2025. Update: DeBues-Stafford is through to Tuesday’s 1,500m final. She’ll then go in the 5,000m heats on Thursday.

Nikki Hiltz (USA, 1,500 meters)

Having repeatedly shown consistency and class, Hiltz is firmly in the medal hunt for Tokyo 2025. Their Diamond League win in Brussels last month was achieved with the seventh-fastest time in the world so far this year, and they’re ready for a fast race in Tokyo. A fierce LGBTQ advocate, they recently shared the story of their top-surgery journey for the first time, saying it was “just a small step to feel more and more like the Nikki I’ve always been.” Update: They have made it through to Tuesday’s 1,500m final.

@nikki_hiltz I got top surgery 11 months ago and I'm so happy to finally share!! gender affirming care is life changing and life saving????️‍⚧️ #topsurgery #nonbinary #theythem #genderaffirmingcare ♬ original sound – Jwlpiano_????

Tiffani Marinho (Brazil, 400 meters)

A late call-up to the Brazilian team, Tiffani is engaged to SC Braga soccer player Sissi Ribeiro. She is a two-time Olympian and raced in the 400m heats on Sunday.

Maria Perez (Spain, 20k race walk and 35k race walk)

Perez is the title holder in both distances, having struck gold twice in Budapest two years ago. She also became an Olympic champion last summer, in the inaugural marathon walk relay, and this year cemented her status as an LGBTQ sports role model by taking part in Madrid Pride with Spain’s National Sports Council. Update: Perez won the 35k event on Saturday, and will go for the ‘double double’ in the 20k on Saturday, Sept. 20th.

Sha’Carri Richardson (USA, 100 meters)

After plenty of off-track drama, Richardson had the chance to defend the title she claimed in a World Championships record time of 10.65s at Budapest 2023. She came out publicly as queer and bisexual back in 2015. Update: Outsports’ reigning Person of the Year finished fifth in Sunday’s final, in a season-best time of 10.94s.

Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela, triple jump)

It’s probably the most anticipated comeback of the Championships. Can world-record holder Rojas, returning to competition after a two-year absence, take a fifth Worlds title in Tokyo, in the stadium where she won Olympic gold in 2021? Qualification is on Tuesday, with the final on Thursday. 

Senni Salminen (Finland, triple jump)

The 29-year-old had to pull out of the Paris Olympics after pulling her hamstring in the warm-up. She is ranked in the world’s top 25 this year, and if she can get closer to the PB she set in 2021, she stands a chance of making the final. Earlier this year, she stepped out at Finland’s Sports Gala with her partner, musician Stella Wickstrom.

Alternates

Trey Cunningham (USA, 110m)

Cunningham’s name is on the entry lists but USATF have confirmed to Outsports that he remains an alternate, having been squeezed out at nationals. His time of 13.00s in May is the fourth fastest in the world this year, so it’s hugely unfortunate that the silver medalist from Eugene 2022 isn’t in the hunt in Tokyo.

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The post Meet 13 out LGBTQ athletes competing at 2025 world track and field championships appeared first on Outsports.

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