Controversial Win at California Winter Championships
In a notable event amidst increasing federal scrutiny, a biological male student-athlete took home first place in the girls’ triple jump at the 2026 VS Athletics California Winter Championships held on February 7th.
AB Hernandez, a senior from Jurupa Valley High School, excelled in the competition at Arcadia High School, achieving a jump of 39 feet, 10 inches. This surpassed the second-place finisher’s mark of 39 feet, 3¼ inches by around seven inches. Hernandez also previously won the high jump and triple jump at a meet in Clovis, California, last May.
The event was marked by a heavy security presence and vocal protests from demonstrators representing “Save Girls’ Sports,” highlighting the ongoing debate over California’s athletic policies. These policies have been described by some as “anti-woman” amid recent federal Title IX enforcement actions.
Interestingly, California’s stance appears to conflict with federal guidelines based on its state laws.
The win comes at a time when the Trump administration is intensifying its enforcement against California’s pro-LGBTQ policies, which includes federal inquiries and threats to withhold significant educational funding. Federal officials emphasize that California’s noncompliance with the new interpretation of Title IX could jeopardize approximately $8 billion in federal education funds.
Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have countered the backlash by asserting that California laws mandate that students compete based on their gender identity rather than biological sex. They have labeled the federal investigations as unlawful intimidation.
Social media platforms like X were immediately abuzz post-competition, where many critics voiced that second-place finisher Malia Strange should be recognized as the rightful winner due to biological sex considerations.
Apart from his track achievements, Hernandez also played for the Jurupa Valley varsity volleyball team, completing his final season in the fall.
Nereyda Hernandez, AB’s mother, has publicly shared her initial struggles upon learning that her son identified as a girl at school. She has expressed feelings of confusion and reportedly confronted school officials about the transition occurring without her knowledge.
Additionally, Hernandez placed second in the long jump and showed promise in other events, reflecting a successful season rooted in last year’s outdoor achievements.
Protests were evident outside the competition, with demonstrators carrying signs that supported preserving girls’ sports. Increased security was arranged to escort Hernandez throughout the meet to ensure his safety and privacy amidst heightened attention.
California’s Title IX Dilemma
In past CIF-sanctioned events, a “dual podium” system was introduced to address fairness concerns by allowing female athletes to share first-place recognition and medals. This policy gave formal acknowledgment to the top-performing non-transgender girl while celebrating the winner. However, under the Trump administration, such arrangements have been challenged as violating Title IX by allowing males to compete in female categories, regardless of shared recognition.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, in conjunction with the DOJ, is currently conducting several Title IX investigations targeting various California institutions, including the Jurupa Unified School District over its policies regarding male athletes competing in girls’ sports.
Officials have reiterated the potential risk of losing billions in federal funding if institutions fail to comply with the Trump administration’s biological sex-based Title IX interpretation.
As the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in on related transgender sports participation cases, investigations like the one concerning Jurupa Unified could set important precedents.
In an earlier podcast, Governor Newsom acknowledged that he believes it’s unfair for biological males identifying as transgender females to compete in women’s sports, reflecting a shift in his perspective.
