Transgender athlete AB Hernandez earned a state medal on Saturday, stirring protests from parents and activists outside the CIF state track and field championships who demand that women’s competitions be reserved for biological girls.
A junior at Jurupa Valley High School, Hernandez qualified as the top athlete in two events during Friday’s preliminaries, moving on to the finals for the girls’ long jump, high jump, and triple jump.
Hernandez has become a lightning rod in high school sports, drawing significant national attention and sharp criticism from parents, athletes, and advocates who argue against allowing biological males to compete in girls’ divisions.
Outside Buchanan High School in Clovis, demonstrators donned “Save Girls Sports” shirts and lined the venue’s perimeter. Some waved flags and held signs proclaiming: “No boys. No prejudice. Only fairness.” Many expressed concerns that their daughters’ opportunities in athletics were being compromised, claiming top placements were taken from them.
Additional signs echoed the call to “Save Women’s Sports.”
On the field, Hernandez finished third in the women’s long jump, achieving a distance of 20 feet, 2 1/4 inches. Ellie McCaskey-Hay from St. Ignatius High School and Gianna Gonzalez from Moorpark High School tied for first place with jumps of 20 feet, 3 1/2 inches.
Interestingly, despite finishing fourth, Collin Jones of St. Mary’s High School also joined Hernandez on the podium, sharing third place. This unique arrangement resulted from CIF policy established for the 2025 state championship and carried on into 2026 amidst growing political and legal pressures. According to this rule, if a transgender athlete secures a postseason spot, the top cisgender female athlete is also elevated to that position.
Recent weeks have been rife with controversy related to Hernandez’s participation in girls’ events. Just two weeks ago, they won the women’s long jump, high jump, and triple jump at the CIF Southern Regional Championship Finals, leading to backlash and the decision to award a duplicate gold medal to the female runner-up.
A tense atmosphere was palpable during the medal ceremony, with some competitors seemingly avoiding Hernandez. Reports indicated that certain athletes chose not to stand on the podium, creating an emotionally charged environment.
The situation intensified when Hernandez replicated their success at the CIF Southern District Track and Field Masters Tournament in Ventura County, finishing first in all three jumping events. Once again, officials awarded gold medals to the female second-place finishers, with Hernandez sharing the top podium spot with them.
