California Trans Athlete Wins Three Events at CIF Championship, Shares Podium Under Pilot Program
Why It Matters
A California high school track and field championship has renewed a statewide debate over athletic eligibility rules, as a transgender athlete won three jumping events at a major divisional meet while a pilot program directed that female competitors who finished behind the trans athlete be elevated to co-champion status.
What Happened
AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School took first place in the long jump, high jump, and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Division 3 finals held May 16 in Moorpark, California.
Despite winning each event by a substantial margin, Hernandez shared top podium honors with female competitors in two of the three events, under a CIF pilot program that awards co-champion status to any female athlete who finishes directly behind a transgender competitor.
In the long jump, Moorpark High School’s Gianna Gonzalez stood alone at the top of the podium during the awards ceremony, as Hernandez was absent — apparently warming up for the next event — even though Gonzalez had finished more than a foot behind. In the high jump, Hernandez and Oak Park’s Gwynneth Mureika were declared co-champions, though Hernandez had cleared the bar by two inches more. In the triple jump, Hernandez stood alone atop the podium after winning by nearly two feet over Shadow Hills’ Malia Strange, who was not present for the ceremony.
According to a parent in attendance, a coach confirmed that the same pilot program would remain in place throughout the remainder of the state postseason. The CIF had not issued a public response as of this publication.
By the Numbers
- Long jump margin: Hernandez won by more than one foot
- High jump margin: Hernandez won by two inches
- Triple jump margin: Hernandez won by nearly two feet
- State finals: Two-day event scheduled to begin May 29 in Clovis, California
- CIF preliminary round: Set for next Saturday, where Hernandez will compete against top female jumpers from across the state
Zoom Out
The controversy is not new to California’s athletic calendar. Hernandez previously won two state titles in track and field and reached the podium in a third event during the prior season, which prompted the Trump administration’s Department of Justice to file a Title IX lawsuit against the state’s education agencies.
President Trump also publicly called on California officials to bar Hernandez from state competition, warning in a social media post that federal funding could be withheld if California did not comply with an executive order on the issue. “As a male, he was a less than average competitor. As a female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable,” Trump wrote. He added: “THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.”
The dispute has extended beyond track. Hernandez competed on Jurupa Valley’s girls’ volleyball team in the fall, and two teammates filed a separate Title IX lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District over the school’s decision to place the transgender athlete on the girls’ team and grant access to the girls’ locker room. Multiple opposing schools forfeited matches rather than compete.
At a preliminary sectional meet last Saturday, demonstrators organized under the “Save Girls Sports” banner held a rally outside the venue. A source within Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said Newsom believes the issue “should be guided by fairness, dignity, and respect,” while rejecting what the statement characterized as political opportunism from critics.
The California situation reflects a broader national conflict between state-level transgender inclusion policies and federal enforcement efforts. Several states have enacted laws restricting transgender participation in female sports, and Congress has advanced legislation that would apply similar standards nationally.
The policy debate has also touched other areas of California governance — including proposed environmental restrictions that have drawn pushback from residents — reflecting ongoing tensions between state regulators and the public.
What’s Next
Hernandez and other sectional winners advance to CIF preliminary competition next Saturday before the two-day state finals begin May 29 in Clovis. The DOJ’s Title IX lawsuit against California education authorities remains active, and federal officials have not indicated whether additional enforcement actions are planned ahead of the state championship.