‘I Identify Her as First’: Social Media Users Congratulate Emma Weyant for Winning ‘First’ Instead of Lia Thomas

University of Virginia swimmer Emma Weyant won second place in the women’s 500-yard freestyle championships, losing to a man, Lia Thomas. Many viewers took to social media to congratulate Weyant for actually winning first place.

A tweet by the University of Virginia (UVA) Swimming and Dive account, which congratulated Weyant — who attends UVA — for winning second place, “with the third-fastest time in UVA history.” Weyant also won a silver medal in last year’s Summer Olympics.

The university’s tweet garnered thousands of comments by social media users, many of whom correct UVA, and informed the school that Weyant had actually won first place out of all of the females who competed against her.

“I identify her as first,” one Twitter user quipped.

“Well done Emma on coming first,” one Twitter user commented.

“First place,” another wrote.

“Shame on you Virginia Swimming. Support your student athletes. She finished first; say it!” another Twitter user reacted.

“Emma won. 1st place. We ain’t taking this shit no more,” another tweeted.

“She took first,” another Twitter user commented. “As a UVA grad, I request that you recognize this.”

“She won. They just happened to be running a single lane men’s race at the same time, which is kinda confusing,” another wrote.

“She actually won first place and I hope this is resolved,” another Twitter user said.

“Congratulations on FIRST PLACE @emmaweyant,” another Twitter user wrote.

“I heard she took first. Well done girl,” another commented.

“She was the first place woman,” one Twitter user stated.

“Well done Emma for being the fastest female in the race,” another wrote.

“It’s [a] women’s event. Emma won,” another tweeted.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.