A transgender weightlifter from New Zealand has sparked controversy after winning a competition in Australia.

Laurel Hubbard, 39, made her debut as a contender for the Commonwealth Games in the 90kg+ class at the Australian International in Melbourne on Sunday.

Ms Hubbard, who was born Gavin until she transitioned in her mid-30s, blew her rivals out of the water by winning her division by 19kg.

She lifted a combined total of 268kg - 19kg more than Samoa's Iuniarra Sipaia, who claimed the silver medal. Australia's Kaitlyn Fassina came third with 223kg.

And her winning performance means she is in line for selection for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

But although she has passed the International Olympic Committee's criteria for athletes, her win attracted criticism from Australian competitors who claimed it was not fair to have a transgender athlete in the female category.

Laurel Hubbard (pictured) made her international weightlifting debut in Melbourne on Sunday

The IOC requires only acknowledge male and female categories.

Transgender women are required to identify as female and show their total testosterone level in serum 'has been below 10 (nanomoles per litre) for at least 12 months prior to her first competition.'

'We all deserve to be on an even playing field,' one weightlifter told 1News Now.

'It's difficult when you believe that you're not. If its not even, why are we doing the sport?'

But Weightlifting NZ have defended Ms Hubbard saying they followed the guidelines.

And in an interview with 1NewsNow, sportswriter Phil Gifford also backed Ms Hubbard's right to compete.

'Some very enlightened sports administrators made a rule which is very straightforward,' he said.

Ms Hubbard, who transitioned in her 30s, won her division by a staggering 19kg

Sportswriter Phil Gifford backed Ms Hubbard's right to compete saying she passed all the required tests

'It's testosterone levels which is a much more scientific way of measuring male gender, female gender than anything else that is currently known.

'And Laurel has passed all of those tests over the last 12 months

'Therefore she is completely entitled, I believe, to compete and anybody who says otherwise is either being, I think, very prejudiced, which is the main thing I would imagine, or just jealous of the fact that maybe this woman has come along and she's better than the female competitors.

He added: 'It is nevertheless a fact that in the years when she was competing as a male weightlifter there would be, I'm sure, some residual strength left from that.

'But the fact is the rules are the rules and the rules allow her to compete and the people that are complaining about it really should just butt out.'