Cycling's first transgender world champion has fired back at heated criticism surrounding her breakthrough victory at the 2018 UCI Masters track championships.
Canadian philosophy professor at South Carolina's College of Charleston Dr Rachel McKinnon endured a torrent of online trolling after taking to social media to celebrate her world championship win in the women's 35-44 sprint final at the Velo Sports Center in Los Angeles earlier this week.
An image of McKinnon standing tall above her competitors during the medal presentation ceremony has spread globally in the wake of her controversial victory — just as she predicted.
McKinnon, born a biological male, won gold in the sprint final against friend Carolien Van Herrikhuyzen from the Netherlands.
An elated McKinnon claimed, to her knowledge, she is the first openly transgender athlete to win a world championship in any sport, after nudging past Van Herrikhuyzen on the final straight in a time of 12.903 seconds.