At the CIF Southern Section Finals in California, 16-year-old Reese Hogan from Crean Lutheran High School placed second in the triple jump, setting a personal and school record of 37 feet, 2 inches. However, the event drew controversy as Hogan was beaten by transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley, who clinched first place in both the girl’s long and triple jumps. The Times of India+2New York Post+2New York Post+2
After the event, Hogan publicly stood on the first-place podium for a photo, drawing praise from conservative influencer Riley Gaines, who referred to her as the “real champ” and criticized Hernandez for competing. Previously, Hogan and other female athletes wore “Protect Girls Sports” shirts during prelims in protest, which officials allegedly forced them to remove under threat of disqualification. The CIF confirmed enforcement of uniform rules but was accused of selectively applying them. Breitbart+3New York Post+3New York Post+3
The incident has sparked further debate about transgender participation in women’s sports. Hernandez now advances to the CIF Masters Meet. Breitbart+2New York Post+2The Times of India+2
The controversy has drawn national attention and criticism, with the U.S. Department of Education indicating possible civil rights violations and continuing a Title IX investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) trans inclusion policies. Despite California’s long-standing law allowing transgender athletes to compete based on gender identity, Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged the situation’s fairness concerns but has not acted to alter state policy. New York Post
The incident highlights the ongoing clash between state practices and federal directives under the Trump administration.
