Caitlyn Jenner celebrates 46 years since her record-breaking Olympic gold medal
The retired athlete, 72, shared a picture of herself, pre-transition, crossing the finishing line during a running event with a determined look on her face at the 1976 Olympic Games, which were held in Montreal, Canada.
Jenner competed in the decathlon, setting a new world record in the process as she scored 8,618 points over the 10 challenging events, which include 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m.
The record – which stood for four years – was her third successive global one and launched her to a new level of fame.
‘July 30 1976!’ she captioned the snap on social media, adding: ‘I can’t believe it’s been 46 years since my Olympic win! I love my country ???????? ????’
Fans congratulated her in the comments, with one proclaiming: ‘You are a true American hero.’
‘I remember it, like it was yesterday,’ mused another.
‘Sweetie you were a champion then and one today also ????’ commented one supportive follower.
Jenner, who came out as a trans woman in April 2015, found subsequent fame in another area after appearing in hit TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians from 2007 to 2021, alongside her third wife Kris Jenner and their daughters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, as well as Kris’s kids with late husband Robert Kardashian, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob Kardashian.
She also starred in her own show, I Am Cait, from 2015 to 2016, which followed her on her gender affirmation journey, but has not been involved with the latest Kardashian reality show.
The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star revealed last year in the Big Brother VIP Australia house that her win brings up conflicting emotions.
Looking at a picture of her winning moment, she told her housemates that the photo ‘meant a lot’ to her but that she was worried she had ‘built that character up so big that I’m stuck with him the rest of my life’.
‘It was so much more to me than that photo and I struggled with that for a long time. That was 45 years ago, long time. My journey in life has been very interesting.’
The star, who ran for Governor of California in 2021, has recently joined ex swimmer Sharron Davies in backing FINA’s decision to ban transgender swimmers from competing in women’s races if they went through male puberty.
‘It worked!’ Jenner tweeted, following the announcement. ‘I took a lot of heat – but what’s fair is fair! If you go through male puberty you should not be able to take medals away from females. Period.
‘Thanks to all of you that stood with me as I talked about what should be obvious (not anti-lgbt but common sense). I am glad the international athletics community is speaking out. I will continue to speak out, act and advocate, for women in sports.’
However, the decision has been criticised by some, with Human Rights Campaign (HRC) expressing their disappointment at the move.
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