California championship track meet forces trans athlete to share top podium spot with biological female
A division championship track and field meet in California saw a trans athlete share first place in three events with female competitors, despite winning each event by large margins.
Trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School took first place in long jump, high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section finals in Division 3.
Then, during podium ceremonies, announcers declared that each event had two co-champions, including Hernandez. This was based on a rule enacted last year.
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Hernandez was absent for the first medal ceremony in long jump, as Moorpark High School's Gianna Gonzalez stood alone on the first-place podium despite finishing more than a foot behind Hernandez. Hernandez appeared to be warming up for the next event.
Hernandez later shared the top podium spot in high jump with Oak Park High School's Gwynneth Mureika, despite winning first place by two inches.
Then, after winning triple jump by nearly two feet over Malia Strange of Shadow Hills, Hernandez stood alone on the top spot, as Strange was absent.
Hernandez, now a Southern Section champion again, along with all the other winners will move onto the CIF preliminaries next Saturday to face the rest of the state's top female jumpers, with a chance to get back to the state finals. The two-day state finals begin on May 29 in Clovis, California.
The CIF enacted a pilot program for the state finals last May that awarded any female athlete that finished behind a trans athlete one higher spot, which resulted in girls sharing podium spots with Hernandez for the championship. The program also ensured any female athlete who finished one spot out of qualifying for the state finals in events that included a trans competitor, to compete for the title as well.
The parent of a female athlete at Saturday's meet told Fox News Digital that a coach informed them that the same pilot program would be implemented for the remainder of the state postseason, starting with the section final on Saturday.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CIF for a response.
The pilot program was put in place after Hernandez advanced to the state final, which prompted President Donald Trump to speak out against California and Gov. Gavin Newsom in a Truth Social post in the days leading up to the final.
"California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow 'MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.' This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won 'everything' and is now qualified to compete in the 'State Finals' next weekend. As a male, he was a less than average competitor. As a female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS," Trump wrote.
"Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to. The Governor, himself, said it is 'UNFAIR.' I will speak to him today to find out which way he wants to go??? In the meantime I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals. This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!"
Trump's Department of Justice then filed a Title IX lawsuit against the state's education agencies in July of last year, after Hernandez won two state titles and finished in second place in another.
Hernandez then competed for Jurupa Valley's girls' volleyball team in the fall, as several teams forfeited to Jurupa Valley and two other players on the same team filed a Title IX lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) for putting the trans athlete on the girls' team and locker room.
The controversy around Jurupa Valley's track and field season was renewed last Saturday when "Save Girls Sports" protesters held a rally at the sectional preliminary round.
A source within Newsom's office provided a statement to Fox News Digital in the days before that meet, addressing the rally.
"The Governor has said discussions on this issue should be guided by fairness, dignity, and respect. He rejects the right wing’s cynical attempt to weaponize this debate as an excuse to vilify individual kids. The Governor’s position is simple: stand with all kids and stand up to bullies," the statement read.
"California is one of 22 states that have laws requiring students be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school sports consistent with their gender identity. California passed this law in 2013 (AB 1266) and it was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown."
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