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Plymouth Olympian Sharron Davies and Dame Kelly Holmes have reacted with dismay after a trans woman with "a male body with male physiology" set four new world records while winning a women’s powerlifiting event in America.

On Instagram, transgender powerlifter Mary Gregory shared her joy at winning 'nine out of nine' events at the Raw Powerlifting Federation Event - and setting new world records for Masters Squat, Open bench, Masters dead lift and Masters total.

"Still processing, full meet recap to come a bit later but I do want to thank a few people," said Mary in her Instagram post.

"A huge thank you to @raw_powerlifting_federation_, from the bottom of my heart! As a transgender lifter I was unsure what to expect going into this meet and everyone - all the spotters, loaders, referees, staff, meet director, all made me welcome and treated me as just another female lifter- thank you!

"And thanks to all the fans in the audience who cheered me on and congratulated me!"

However, former swimming champion Sharron Davies isn't congratulating Mary - and neither is Double Olympic Champion Dame Kelly Holmes.

On Twitter, Sharron said: "This is a trans woman a male body with male physiology setting a world record & winning a woman’s event in America in powerlifting. A woman with female biology cannot compete... it’s a pointless unfair playing field."

Her tweet has been like more than 4,000 times and attracted hundreds of messages of support - including one from Double Olympic Champion Dame Kelly Holmes, who said: "It's a bloody joke and all getting ready for biological women to boycott certain events. Have a trans category if need be but even better a trans games.

"Otherwise I’m starting to worry about the backlash and abuse that the trans community will get from spectators. It will happen!"

C

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