Trans high school runner beats out his own sister for gold medal in California track and field championships

A trans-identified male high school freshman in California won a prestigious track and field championship meet in late April, defeating his own sister for the top slot in the 400-meter race.

Paul "Lina" Haaga, a freshman at Pasadena’s Polytechnic School, came in first place in the 400-meter race at the Prep League Championship Finals with a time of 59.45 seconds. His older sister, Flintridge Preparatory School sophomore Sienna Haaga, came in second with a time of 60.03 seconds. Lina Haaga also competed on the school’s team for the 4x400 relay, once again edging out his sister for the top spot.

Per Reduxx, the school Haaga attends can reach $48,000 per year or more in tuition. Haaga is also the grandson of Paul Haaga Jr, who once served as the acting President and CEO of NPR, and was a former trustee of the Facebook Oversight Board. 

Haaga has also played tennis, being described as one of the "key singles players" for the school, and has also tried basketball, swimming, lacrosse, and water polo. He transitioned at a very young age, and has participated in female sports since an early age. 

As the Supreme Court was weighing arguments in January about transgender athletes in girls’ sports, Haaga told The Guardian that sports was his "life," and that it wasn’t just "a release and an escape, but also a way to connect with other people and make new friends." He claimed that a ban on males in female sports would make him "uncomfortable," and claimed that he would be "robbed" of opportunities.

He said that the "political climate" regarding the inclusion of men in women's sports makes him "worry every time [he steps] on the track or the court that somebody might disagree with [his] participation."

A spokesperson for HeCheated told Reduxx, "In instances where girls are denied fair competition and consequently lose titles and opportunities to boys, they should be able to rely on their families for support, even if the school administration opposes them. While it is not uncommon for parents to favor a son over a daughter, this case presents an especially nightmarish situation in which the daughter has no familial support and no one to stand up for her right to be recognized as a deserving champion."