Transgender Athlete Wins Two Events at California State Track Championships Amid Legal Debate

AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School, won gold in the girls' high jump and triple jump and placed second in the long jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Track & Field Championships under a new rule allowing both Hernandez and biological female athletes to medal in the same event. The CIF policy change, reportedly the first of its kind nationally, was implemented to address criticism and ensure that biological females who would have placed without Hernandez's participation also received recognition, leading to shared podiums and duplicate medals in affected events. Despite some outside protests and vocal critics, including conservative activists and former President Donald Trump, the championship events were relatively calm, with CIF banning protest signs inside the stadium. Hernandez cleared 5 feet, 7 inches in the high jump alongside co-winners who each had failed attempts, won the triple jump with a leap of 42 feet, 2.75 inches, and finished just behind the winner in the long jump. Fellow competitors expressed positive sentiments about sharing the podium with Hernandez, highlighting sportsmanship and camaraderie. The controversy has sparked a nationwide debate about transgender athletes’ participation in girls' sports and the evolving rules governing high school athletics.