A transgender high school athlete shared the top step of the podium with female competitors at a California track meet on Saturday, despite winning by significant margins in three events. The unusual scene occurred at the CIF Southern Section finals in Moorpark, where athlete AB Hernandez, from Jurupa Valley High School, easily outpaced biological female rivals in the long jump, high jump, and triple jump.
Podium Celebrations with 'Co-Champions'
During the podium ceremonies, announcers declared that each event had two 'co-champions,' including Hernandez. This rule, introduced last year, appears designed to placate the defeated female athletes. According to Fox News, Hernandez first won the long jump by over a foot ahead of Gianna Gonzalez from Moorpark High. However, Gonzalez stood alone on the top step, with Hernandez absent. In the high jump, Hernandez beat Gwnneth Mureika of Oak Park by two inches, and the pair stood together on the podium. The triple jump saw Hernandez win by nearly two feet over Malia Strange of Shadow Hills, but Strange was absent, leaving Hernandez alone on the top step.
Postseason Implications
Hernandez advances to next Saturday's CIF preliminaries, aiming for a second consecutive appearance at the state finals. The CIF's 'pilot program,' which sparked controversy last year, allows any female athlete finishing behind a transgender rival to share the top podium spot as a joint winner. This policy remains in place for the remainder of the postseason.
Rival's Protest Threat
Earlier this week, Reese Hogan of Crean Lutheran High School, a prominent rival, threatened to protest if she shared the podium with Hernandez. Hogan gained attention last year for a similar protest, finishing behind Hernandez but taking her place on the top step. When asked about repeating the action, Hogan told Fox News Digital: 'If the opportunity presents itself, we'll see, yeah.' On Saturday, Hogan placed third in the high jump, sixth in the triple jump, and did not qualify for the long jump finals.
Hogan expressed her frustration, stating: 'This is my third year competing against a transgender athlete, and last year I was stripped away of a CIF Title. I basically worked my whole career to get to that point. It's just really disappointing to go into a competition knowing you already lost. I'm here to stand up for girls in girls sports and to call out CIF and the state of California for their poor leadership and lack of support for female athletes.'
