ESPN News Services
May 31, 2025, 10:45 PM ET
CLOVIS, Calif. -- A transgender athlete bested the competition Saturday at the California high school track and field championships to take home gold in the girls' high jump and the triple jump at a meet that has stirred controversy and drawn national attention.
AB Hernandez competed under a new rule change that might be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body.
Hernandez finished the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 7 inches, with no failed attempts. Co-winners Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle also cleared that height after each logged a failed attempt. The three shared the first-place win, smiling as they stepped together onto the podium.
Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School, wrapped up the night with a first-place finish in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher, who trailed by just over a half-meter.
Earlier in the afternoon, Hernandez placed second in the long jump.
Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet. This year's winner, Loren Webster, topped 21 feet, with Hernandez trailing by a few inches.
The California Interscholastic Federation announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez's success heading into the championships. Under the policy, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified.
The two-day championship kicked off Friday in sweltering heat at a high school near Fresno. Temperatures reached the triple digits during Saturday's finals.
The atmosphere was relatively quiet despite critics -- including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump -- calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing. Some critics wore pink bracelets and T-shirts that read, "Save Girls' Sports."
During Friday's qualifying events, an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour with a banner: "No Boys in Girls' Sports!" Two groups that oppose transgender athletes participating in women's sports -- the Independent Council on Women's Sports and Women Are Real -- took credit for flying the banner.
The federation's rule change reflected efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls' participation in youth sports.
"The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law," the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change.
The federation announced the change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls' teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then.
The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez's high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law.
California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
