Middle distance runner Nikki Hiltz has come out in support of Olympic champion Imane Khelif from Algeria. Hiltz, who represented the USA at the women’s 1500m event in the Paris Olympics, expressed their views on the Algerian boxer and her struggles, both within the ring and outside it.

Hiltz weighed in on the controversy around Khelif’s gender at the Paris Olympics. Following Khelif’s eventual gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics, the controversy around her has refused to die down.

In a recent appearance on the ‘Exes and O’s’ podcast, hosted by Shannon Beveridge, Hiltz talked about various issues, from spending time with their friend, Paralympic champion Hunter Woodhall, and his Olympic champion wife Tara Davis-Woodhall, to the controversy around Khelif.

When asked about the Algerian boxer, Hiltz said,

“A lot of stuff happened in the early stages of the Olympics, like with the boxer, who…everyone was one like, ‘she’s a trans woman’ – she’s literally not.

And it was like…. what are her chromosomes, JK Rowling got involved[…] that’s insane” [16:36 ].

Nikki Hiltz also shared how Imane Khelif was facing the press throughout her campaign at the Paris Olympics.

Hiltz said,

“There was a lot of press around her [Imane Khelif] obviously, and it was like, that’s what I got asked about. Which is totally just fine, you know, I’m happy to anytime use my platform to stand up for someone from our community. Which is weird because… I was like, ‘but she’s not a trans woman!'” [20:50 onwards]

Hiltz made an announcement in 2021, coming out as transgender and non-binary. The American middle distance runner made their Olympic debut at the Paris Olympics, finishing seventh in the final.