AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete from California, found himself sharing the third-place spot during the state championships on Saturday. This 17-year-old, who is biologically male, was involved in some heated incidents at the California Interscholastic Federation finals held at Buchanan High School in Clovis.
Hernandez claimed third in the long jump, finishing behind Ellie McCaskey-Hay and Gianna Gonzalez, who tied for first. During the awards ceremony, Hernandez stood on the podium next to Colin Jones from St. Mary’s Berkeley, who also took third place.
Interestingly, Hernandez excelled in the high jump, securing first place, and tied for top honors in the triple jump. Last year, new regulations were implemented by the CIF to address ongoing disruptions caused by transgender athletes, mainly in response to a wave of criticism regarding Hernandez’s participation against female competitors.
Under the new rules, if a female athlete places just below Hernandez, she receives the same ranking as a means of ensuring fairness and preventing disruption in the standings. In earlier competitions, there were instances where two gold medals were awarded—one to Hernandez and one to the nearest competitor.
Some competitors have quietly protested, choosing not to stand beside Hernandez on the podium while others maintained their distance during competitions.
Hernandez’s mother, Nereida, was present in the stands to support her child on Saturday amid the ongoing controversy surrounding transgender participation in high school athletics. This issue has sparked national debate, with strong opinions from parents, athletes, and advocates who argue that biological males should not compete in women’s sports.
During the event, some demonstrators wore shirts stating “Save Women’s Sports,” while others held signs declaring “No Men. No Prejudice. Only Fairness.” Tensions escalated when a pro-LGBTQ group, who were holding a press conference for Hernandez, clashed with protesters. Clovis police were present to oversee the situation, which, while heated, did not escalate into direct violence.
This weekend also served as a political platform, with gubernatorial candidates seeking to sway voters ahead of the upcoming primary on June 2. Republican candidate Steve Hilton criticized the CIF for its policies on transgender athletes, while Democratic candidate Tom Steyer shared a video of Hernandez and expressed his support for trans athletes, wishing Hernandez well ahead of the state championships.
