High school junior and trans athlete AB Hernandez won the High Jump competition at the California High School Athletics Championships on Saturday.
After a week of development surrounding the girl’s participation in the competition, Hernandez competed in High Jump, Triple Jump and Long Jump at a competition in the Fresno County Community in Clovis. There were new rules in place to allow more girls to compete and win medals at the three events that Hernandez qualify for.
The race ended a week after President Trump, the California Inter-Government Federation and the US Department of Justice weighed 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.
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.
“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 it 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. ”
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