Among the participants in the Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, 31 people are openly odd. This is more than double the number of queer athletes during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Yesterday was the start of the Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Blikk has previously reported that at least 131 athletes at this year’s Olympics were queer. This number then becomes adjusted up to 185. Now the Paralympic Games are also breaking all records.

based on Outdoor sportsthere are at least 31 openly queer athletes set to compete in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, which will end on September 5.

This is more than double the number of queer athletes during the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016. At that time, Outsports only knew that there 12 openly queer LGBT+ athletes.

Women outperformed men

Queer athletes represent 10 different countries and 12 sports. The US and UK reign supreme, but nine queer athletes each. Canada follows with three.

Outsports has obtained the information with the help of journalists and other contacts. They warn that some countries and sports are overrepresented because that is where most of their contacts live. This list is expected to grow in the future, as more information on athletes from other parts of the world becomes available.

That said, the list so far highlights some interesting statistics. So far there is the strangest woman. So far, only one male queer athlete has been reported: British dressage racer Sir David Lee Pearson, who has been an 11-time dressage gold medalist.

Nearly half of queer women compete in wheelchair basketball. This includes four athletes on the Great Britain wheelchair basketball team: Lucy Robinson, Jude Hamer, Robyn Love, and Laurie Williams.

Love and Williams were able to share their engagement news some time ago. They did this on Love’s Instagram account, with the caption: “Teammates and soulmates since 2015.”

Subsequently, Love wrote: “I didn’t think I would have improved so quickly if he hadn’t pushed me so hard (…). It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but competing at the highest level under tremendous pressure has made our relationship strong and I can’t wait to compete in Tokyo together.”

There are at least three non-binary athletes on the list: Australian track and field athletes Robyn Lambird and Maz Strong, and American rower Laura Goodkind.

Lambird shared the news about the Paralympic qualification on Instagram, writing:

“It’s been a crazy six year journey with lots of ups and downs, but I can truly say that this is a dream come true.”