A 16-year-old transgender athlete in California, AB Hernandez, who has faced intense scrutiny from rightwing media and the Trump administration, claimed two first-place finishes in track and field events over the weekend. Hernandez tied for first in both the high jump and triple jump events.
This comes as the Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funding to California for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports.
The meet followed a recent rule change by the California Interscholastic Federation, the organization overseeing high school sports in the state. Under the new policy, if a transgender athlete earns a top spot in a girls’ event, the next-place athlete also receives the same ranking and medal.
Despite protests at the event, the atmosphere among competitors remained positive, according to several reports.
“Sharing the podium was nothing but an honor,” one high school athlete told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Although the publicity she’s been receiving has been pretty negative, I believe she deserves publicity because she’s a superstar. She’s a rock star. She’s representing who she is.”
According to the Associated Press, Hernandez cleared 5ft 7in (1.7m) in the high jump with no failed attempts. Her co-winners matched that height but had earlier misses. The trio smiled together atop the podium in a shared first-place finish.
In the triple jump, Hernandez again earned a shared first-place spot with a competitor who finished just over half a meter behind. She also secured a second-place finish in the long jump earlier in the day.
Hernandez’s participation has drawn national attention as part of a broader political effort to ban trans athletes from girls’ and women’s sports. The Trump administration has called for an investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation and the local school district for potential violations of federal sex-discrimination laws.
The CIF’s new rule aims to strike a balance in the ongoing debate. While the organization says the policy was decided before Trump’s threats, the timing has drawn political focus.
California law, enacted in 2013, allows students to participate in sports according to their gender identity.
As of now, at least 24 U.S. states have enacted laws that restrict transgender women and girls from competing in some female sports divisions, the AP reported.
