AB Hernandez Shares 3 CIF Titles With Girls as California Extends Trans-Athlete Podium Rule
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 17
AB Hernandez Shares 3 CIF Titles With Girls as California Extends Trans-Athlete Podium Rule
4 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 17
Three CIF Southern Section Division 3 titles went to Jurupa Valley’s AB Hernandez in long jump, high jump and triple jump, but each event was also announced with a female co-champion under California’s podium-sharing rule.
The rule, first used at last year’s state finals, elevates any girl finishing behind a trans athlete by one place and also preserves state-qualifying spots for girls displaced by a trans competitor.
At Saturday’s meet in Moorpark, Hernandez won by wide margins—more than a foot in long jump, two inches in high jump and nearly two feet in triple jump—yet shared first-place recognition in all three events.
The policy is expected to continue through the rest of the postseason, with CIF preliminaries next Saturday and the two-day state finals beginning May 29 in Clovis.
The case remains politically charged after Donald Trump threatened federal funding last year and the Justice Department sued California education agencies over Title IX, while Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office has defended the state’s law allowing participation by gender identity.
With a Supreme Court ruling on Title IX expected, could high school sports soon see entirely new competitive categories?
As global sports bodies tighten eligibility, is California's 'co-champion' solution a model for inclusion or a temporary compromise?
Beyond headlines and lawsuits, what does evolving science reveal about balancing fairness and inclusion in school sports?