California High School Track Meet Controversy
A female athlete from a California high school, Reese Hogan, recently took second place in her event at the state athletics competition, despite competing against male-born transgender athletes. This notably didn’t stop her from celebrating her achievement.
The 16-year-old finished second in the triple jump at the CIF Southern Section Finals on Saturday, setting a personal record of 37 feet, 2 inches, representing Clean Lutheran High School.
In first place was junior trans athlete AB Hernandez, who also won titles in the women’s long jump and triple jump, happily posing for pictures on the podium alongside fellow competitors.
Following the event, Hogan seized the moment by confidently approaching the top position, smiling and taking photos.
Former NCAA swimmer and conservative figure Riley Gaines commended Hogan’s actions, sharing on social media, “When the boy got off the podium, she assumed a legitimate place as a champion. The crowd erupts with applause.” Gaines congratulated Hogan, labeling her the “real champion.”
In a separate post, Gaines, who gained attention for her critique of another trans athlete, Leah Thomas, called Hernandez’s victory a “scam,” asserting it was facilitated by CIF and other authorities.
Hernandez had a significant lead over Hogan, reportedly finishing over four feet ahead in the triple jump.
Hogan, among a group of high school athletes, protested against the participation of transgender athletes in woman’s sports, donning a “Protect Girls Sports” shirt during qualifiers held earlier in May. Unfortunately, officials allegedly directed Hogan and others to remove the shirts prior to competing in postseason track events, claiming it was required.
According to Hogan, competition officials insisted that they couldn’t take off the shirts anywhere else, indicating that failure to comply had consequences. She described feeling pressurized by officials, who suggested subtly that not removing the shirt could jeopardize her standing in the competition.
“It wasn’t explicitly said, but it was implied that not taking off my shirt could lead to issues,” Hogan expressed. “Throughout the day, things felt more tense… I felt the vibe shift, and while they didn’t mention disqualification outright, it was clear from their tone.”
Confirming the situation, the CIF stated that all athletes needed to wear appropriate school-issued uniforms at the event. They mentioned that Hogan and her teammates were required to adhere to these rules, noting that the shirts needed to be removed as they weren’t official uniforms.
Nevertheless, witnesses alleged that other athletes were not subject to the same orders, especially those without similar messages on their attire. No reports indicated that Hogan or others resisted wearing their uniforms during the CIF Southern Section Finals.
Currently, Hernandez holds the top marks across the state in the long and triple jumps, and is set to compete in the CIF Southern Section Master Meeting later this month.
