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Junior AB Hernandez will compete in high jumps, triple jumps and long jumps at California State High School’s athletics field on Friday and Saturday. After a trans athlete who qualified for last weekend’s Jurupa Valley High School for three events, there are new CIF rules in place that will essentially allow more girls to participate. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from California for transathletes’ participation in Girls High School’s sports. On Wednesday, the DOJ said it would consider whether California law conflicts with Title IX. Federal law prohibits sex discrimination in schools and educational programs. She was tied to fourth place in the high jump at the Masters Meeting.
The California High School Athletics Championships took place off and running on Friday following the success of Julpa Valley High School trans athletes who competed in three events.
Junior AB Hernandez will compete in high jumps, triple jumps and long jumps at the competition in the Fresno County Community in Clovis after week developments over participation in the women’s tournament. Qualifying events begin on Friday at 3pm and 6pm, and are set for the final on Saturday, with new rules scheduled to allow more girls to compete and win medals in the three events Hernandez qualify for.
The competition begins at the end of a week when President Trump, the California Interstate Governance Federation, and the US Department of Justice became heavily on Hernandez’s inclusion in the championship. Her participation in the girls’ high school athletics competition has attracted responses throughout the season, particularly from the Chino Valley Unified School District Board President and state legislators.
Hernandez first finished with a triple jump and a long jump at the tournament over the weekend at Moore Park High School, before the spotlight escalated. She was tied to fourth place in the high jump at the Masters Meeting.
As this could be the country’s first effort to expand participation through trans-athlete qualifications, the California high school sports governing body this week announced that additional athletes could compete in three events where trans-athletes compete and offer additional medals after the final. Hernandez is the only openly trans athlete to compete in the CIF State Athletics Games.
The top 12 finishers in Friday’s qualifying will advance with the mark in each event leading up to Saturday’s final.
Under the pilot policy, for trans athlete medals, their rankings will not drive “biological women” students out of medallization, the federal said. The federation did not specify how to define “biological women” or how to check whether their competitors meet that definition.
The DOJ will consider whether California law is inconsistent with Title IX. This is a federal law that prohibits sexism in schools or sexism in educational programs that receive funding from the US government. Jonathan Gonzalez reports on NBC4 News on Wednesday, May 28th, 2025 at 4pm.
“CIF values all student-athletes and continues to support its mission to provide students with opportunities to belong, connect and compete while complying with California law and education codes,” the CIF said in a statement. “With this in mind, CIF will implement the pilot entry process for the 2025 CIF State Athletics Championships.”
California’s state law allows trans students to compete with gender-segregated sports teams that match their gender identity.
The CIF’s announcement that it is essentially expanding the number of girls eligible to compete in state competitions and compete in the finals in jump events has cut California’s federal fund over trans-athletes participation in girl sports after a threat from President Trump on Tuesday. The CIF said it was a decision to change the rules over the weekend during section meetings.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice released an investigation into whether California law allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ high school sports violates the Landmark Title IX federal civil rights law. This study will determine whether California School Success and Opportunity Act, or whether AB 1266, is in conflict with Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools or educational programs that receive funding from the US government.
In February, the Department of Education launched an investigation into the California Interstate Federation and the Minnesota High School League for what they called “a failure to comply with President Trump’s executive order to protect girls in sports.”
AB’s mother said, “As a mother, every time I see my child being attacked, my heart breaks. I made a statement every time I see who I am, not because of cheating.
Friendship, and grow to the fullest potential like other children. My kids have competed fairly in full compliance with California law and movement policies. This is her third year in the sport and she has already ranked third in California in the triple jump category. ”
“Pinnacle” for California High School athletes
Beyond the political developments swirling in Hernandez’s participation, California High School’s state qualification has achieved great results due to the number of competitors. More than 57,000 high school athletes competed in California track and field from 2023 to 2024, according to a survey by the National High School Association. This is the second largest high school outdoor athletics athlete after Texas.
When the qualifiers in the Competition Section meet the tournament, competition intensifies at the state level. Of the 12 high school athletes who set a national record for girls’ triple jumps between 1984 and 2019, eight came from California, according to the National Sports Governance Agency.
Davis Whitfield, the national federation’s chief operating officer, told The Associated Press that the state championship will represent the “pitch” of high school athletes.
“It’s certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be at a state championship event,” he said.
CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti urged state competition participants and participants to act respectfully towards all athletes with messages shared in the Championship program. Hernandez spoke at the publication Capital & Main earlier this month, responding to verbal attacks from adults over the issue.
“There’s nothing I can do about people’s actions,” Hernandez said. “I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and behaving like a child shows how you’re like a person.”
Hernandez’s mother declined to request comment this week.
In the long jump, Hernandez ranked second in the state, with a 20-foot, 1 1/2-inch jump set with the mark at the March tournament. Katie McGuinness of LA Canada High School is number one in the 20-foot, 4-inch jump.
In an interview with Fox News, McGuinness, who lost to Hernandez in the long jump in the section final, urged the CIF to change their policy.
“I have nothing as a person for this athlete, nothing for the trans community,” McGuinness said. “My message today is actually for the CIF and for them to act quickly and in a timely manner, because this is a really time-sensitive issue.”
Hernandez has been a member of the team for three years and as a sophomore, he finished third in the triple jump at the CIF State Athletics Games. Hernandez was part of the Julpa Valley High School volleyball team in the fall, reaching the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 8 Girls Volleyball Playoffs.
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