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CC™ Global News
By Ryan Gaydos and Chantz Martin
Glenique Frank, a transgender woman who ran the London Marathon in the female category, offered to give her medal back after controversy stirred when she beat out about 14,000 women in the race.
Frank sparked criticism after she appeared in a BBC interview and gushed about becoming a grandmother. She told the New York Post that the London Marathon was the first race she was able to pick her own name and gender. Several other races she plans on running need her name and gender given on her passport, including New York City, Tokyo and Boston, among others.
Frank told the outlet she was only sorry for "upsetting" her critics.
"If they want me to give my medal back, I’ll say, ‘OK, fine. No problem,'" Frank told the New York Post. "If they really think I’ve stolen the place [of a female runner], I don’t mind giving the medal back, because I’ll run again next year for charity.
"They’re angry because they’re saying that one of 14,000 women behind me could have had my place. Really? I did [the race in] 4 hours 11 minutes. There’s lots of women that beat me."
Frank said she understood she does not have a "womb" but insisted she did not compete as an elite runner and "didn’t steal any money."
Frank’s foray into the London Marathon irked two-time Olympian Mara Yamauchi, who finished in sixth place in the marathon at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 while representing her home country of Great Britain.
Yamauchi did not mince words when she spoke on Frank's win at the marathon over the weekend.
"Males in the [female] category is UNFAIR for females," Yamauchi wrote in a tweet.
"Nearly 14,000 actual females suffered a worse finish position [because] of him," Yamauchi wrote on Twitter.
Frank said her attention was not to try to trick anyone.
"I’ve known since I was 5 that I was in the wrong body," Frank said.
Frank said she is still planning on running marathons and planned on entering the London race next year as "other" or "male" to "just keep everybody happy."
Frank previously ran at an event in New York City while wearing a bra and a wig.
Frank, who is a British citizen, identifies as a female. After running a 17th career marathon, she excitedly spoke about using "girl power" to help get through the race.
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