California Track Meet Ends With Dominant Sweep Amid Fairness Protests

Clear Facts

• Biological male AB Hernandez won two jumping events and tied for first in a third at California’s CIF Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries
• Hernandez defeated female competitors by margins exceeding one foot in the long jump and nearly three feet in the triple jump
• The meet began with a ‘Save Girls’ Sports’ rally protesting California’s policy allowing transgender athletes in women’s competition
• The Department of Justice is currently suing California over its transgender athlete policies under Title IX

YORBA LINDA, Calif. — Saturday’s high school track meet became the latest flashpoint in America’s growing debate over fairness in women’s sports, as protests outside the gates gave way to results inside that renewed questions about competitive integrity.

The CIF Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries in Yorba Linda drew demonstrators before the first event began. Former NCAA athlete Sophia Lorey led a “Save Girls’ Sports” rally outside the venue, where supporters gathered to protest California’s decade-old policy permitting biological males who identify as transgender to compete against female athletes.

Inside the stadium, the jumping events produced outcomes that illustrated why the controversy continues to intensify. AB Hernandez, a biological male senior from Jurupa Valley High School, competed in the girls’ division and swept the competition with performances that separated from the field by significant margins.

In the long jump, Hernandez posted a mark of 20 feet, 4 1/4 inches. The second-place finisher reached 19 feet, 1 1/2 inches—more than a foot behind. The third-place competitor finished at 18 feet, 7 inches.

The triple jump showed an even wider gap. Hernandez recorded 42 feet, 4 inches, while the runners-up finished at 39 feet, 7 1/2 inches and 37 feet, 8 inches—a difference approaching three feet between first and second place.

Hernandez also tied for first in the high jump with Reese Hogan at 5 feet, 2 inches. Hogan previously made headlines after stepping onto the first-place podium spot at an earlier event won by Hernandez, a gesture celebrated by advocates for biological women in sports as a statement about fair competition.

Parents and grandparents in the stands at Yorba Linda High School expressed mixed reactions. One grandparent supporting Moorpark High School noted the recurring nature of the situation.

“It happened last year and I thought it’d be done, but it’s California,” the grandparent said.

A father from Yucca Valley acknowledged the fairness concerns while expressing reluctance to criticize individual athletes.

“I think they should have their own division. I just don’t like bullying one kid,” he said.

The controversy has escalated beyond athletic fields into federal courtrooms. The Department of Justice recently filed suit against California over its transgender athlete policies, arguing they violate Title IX protections for women’s sports. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office responded by noting the governor was not personally named in the lawsuit while defending the state’s existing law, which has permitted biological males in girls’ sports for more than ten years.

Saturday’s results provided concrete data points for those advocating policy changes. In individual track and field events, where team dynamics don’t obscure individual performance differences, the outcome metrics become impossible to dismiss. The gap between Hernandez’s performances and those of biological female competitors underscored the physical advantages that drive the fairness debate.

Hernandez, who previously competed in girls’ volleyball, has participated under rules California officials continue to defend despite mounting opposition from parents, athletes, and now federal authorities. The clash between state policy and federal enforcement represents a broader national reckoning over how to balance inclusion with competitive fairness in women’s athletics.

The prelims in Yorba Linda captured the tension at the heart of this debate. Outside, protesters demanded policy changes to protect opportunities for biological females. Inside, the results board displayed outcomes that lent weight to their arguments. What began as a morning rally concluded with performance gaps measured in feet and inches—differences that speak to fundamental questions about what fairness means in competitive sports.

As this issue moves through the courts and continues to play out at high school tracks across California, Saturday’s meet offered a snapshot of where the debate stands: divided between competing principles, with real consequences for the young women on the field.

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