• Writer had criticised transgender sprinter’s participation
• ‘She doesn’t know anything about me,’ says Petrillo

The visually impaired transgender sprinter Valentina Petrillo said she felt welcomed by her fellow competitors despite the widespread scrutiny outside the Paralympic village. The 51-year-old, who transitioned in 2019, reached the women’s T12 200m and 400m semi-finals at the Games in Paris.

Petrillo’s participation was criticised, with JK Rowling labelling her an “out and proud cheat”, but the Italian said in an interview with the Times that the support she encountered within the Stade de France was heartening.