Trans boy wins California state girls' triple jump championship, shares podium with real female winner, awarded gold first

A transgender-identifying biological male athlete placed first in the California state girls’ triple jump championship on Saturday, sharing the top podium spot with the female winner and being awarded a gold medal first.

AB Hernandez concluded his high school track and field career by winning two events and sharing podium placement with female competitors. He took first place in both the girls’ high jump and triple jump, repeating similar results from last year’s state championships in the same event. He also placed third in the long jump this season.

Hernandez shared the podium with the female athlete who finished behind him, as the California Interscholastic Federation maintained its pilot program allowing shared podium recognition for girls who place behind Hernandez. The policy has drawn criticism from supporters of Hernandez, including his own mother, according to Fox News. But it also drew condemnation from women’s rights advocates who believe Hernandez should not have been competing in the first place.

Hernandez’s participation in girls' sports continued to be controversial going into the state championships. On Saturday, a press conference was held outside the meet, organized by California LGBT groups Pride at the Pier and Rainbow Families Action. Supporters of Hernandez defended his participation, while activists from Save Girls' Sports protested the policy.

Currently, the Department of Justice is suing California education agencies over policies allowing transgender-idenitfying athlete to compete according to gender identity rather than biological sex. The Department of Education is also investigating Jurupa Unified School District, where Hernandez attends.

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer recently posted a video alongside Hernandez on social media, expressing support for the biologically male teen as he was set to compete in girls’ track and field.

“The role of the Governor is to protect Californians, and to stand between them and danger,” Steyer wrote on X. “That's a role I take very, very seriously, particularly when it comes to trans youth.”