Trans woman becomes croquet world champion at 23 in historic win

Jamie Gumbrell has become the first out trans woman to win the women’s World Croquet Federation championship. 

Gumbrell, who is from Australia, won the Women’s Golf Croquet Championship in August, beating 2011 champion Rachel Gee of England. 

Croquet can be played in many different forms, but usually consist of playing with six hoops and four balls, with the objective of the game being to advance the balls around the lawn by hitting them with a mallet. Players score a point for each hoop made in the correct order and direction. 

Gumbrell’s win saw her become the first out trans women to claim the world championship title.

But, predictably, not everyone was happy for Gumbrell and her win, with some of her competitors arguing that she had an advantage. 

One of Gumbrell’s competitors, who asked to remain anonymous, said they felt sorry for Gee following her losing to the trans champion. 

“I really felt sorry in the final for Rachel, who at the end was hiding behind her sunglasses because she was crying.” 

World Croquet Federation president Ian Burridge told the Telegraph: “The fact that Jamie was assigned male at birth is not disputed by anyone. 

“Jamie now identifies as female as her entry into the world championships was determined in accordance with our policy, approved by our members in April 2022.”

Backlash to Gumbrell’s win comes amid a wave of anti-trans sentiment in relation to women’s sports. 

In September, three members of the England ladies shore fishing team resigned after they refused to compete alongside trans teammate Becky Lee Birtwhistle Hodges. Recreational fishing’s governing body has since said its latest trans participation policy will ban transgender anglers from competing for England in the women’s category.