Transgender Track Star AB Hernandez Races in State Championships Amid Growing Protests

On Saturday, transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed for a state title amidst a backdrop of heated protests at the CIF State Track & Field Championships. The event, held at Buchanan High School in Clovis, saw parents and activists gathering outside to voice their concerns, insisting that female sports events should be exclusively for biological girls.

Hernandez, a senior from Jurupa Valley High School, had successfully advanced to the finals in the girls’ long jump, high jump, and triple jump categories. During Friday’s preliminary rounds, Hernandez achieved the top qualifying marks in two events, leading to their participation in the Saturday finals.

The athlete has become a focal point in the ongoing debate over transgender participation in sports, garnering nationwide attention. The controversy underscores a larger conversation about fairness and inclusion, with critics, including parents, competitors, and advocates for women’s sports, arguing that biological males should not be allowed to compete in girls’ divisions.

Protesters, clad in shirts emblazoned with “Save Girl’s Sports,” were a visible presence outside the championship venue. Many held flags and signs bearing messages such as, “No boys. No bias. Just fairness,” reflecting their call for maintaining traditional divisions in school sports.

Several carried flags and signs reading, “No boys. No bias. Just fairness.”

Others accused officials of allowing opportunities to be taken from female athletes, displaying signs that said top finishes had been “stolen from our daughters.”

Additional signs urged the CIF to “Save Girl’s Sports.”

Inside the stadium, Hernandez finished third in the girls’ long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 2 1/4 inches.

First place was shared by Ellie McCuskey-Hay of St. Ignatius High School and Gianna Gonzalez of Moorpark High School, who each jumped 20 feet, 3 1/2 inches.

Despite finishing in fourth, Corinne Jones from St. Mary’s High School joined Hernandez on the podium to share third place.

The unusual arrangement stems from a CIF policy adopted ahead of the 2025 state championships and continued into 2026 under mounting political and legal pressure.

Under the rule, if a transgender athlete places in a postseason track event, the highest-finishing cisgender female competitor is elevated into the same placement.

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The state championship followed weeks of controversy surrounding Hernandez’s success in girls’ competition.

Just two weeks ago, Hernandez swept the girls’ long jump, high jump and triple jump at the CIF Southern Section championship final.

The victories triggered backlash from parents, athletes and activists and led officials to award duplicate gold medals to the female runners-up.

The tension was visible during the medal ceremony.

Some competitors appeared to avoid celebrating alongside Hernandez, with one athlete reportedly choosing not to stand on the podium and others keeping their distance.

The controversy intensified again one week later when Hernandez repeated the feat at the CIF Southern Section Track and Field Masters Meet in Ventura County, taking first place in all three jumping events.

Officials once again awarded gold medals to the second-place female finishers, and Hernandez shared the top spot on the podium with each runner-up.